Category: Doom

FRESH MEAT FRIDAY - July 17th, 2020

7/17/2020

Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s crumbling gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be--and have been--listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so!

On the docket for today, July 17th, 2020:
Väki, Eremit, Entry, and deathnoisefrequency

Väki - Kuolleen Maan Omaksi 
(Redefining Darkness Records)

The illustrious Redefining Darkness deals pretty exclusively in gritty and grimy death metal, so (on the rare occasion) when they dip their toes into blackened waters, you know the album/artist in question is exceedingly worthwhile. This is certainly the case for the Finnish Väki, who present a delicious brand of chaos-ridden black metal that recalls The Great Old Ones in its telltale complex frenzy. There's a distinct focus on oppressive atmosphere throughout, with little attention given to pleasing melodic or earwormy hooks--despite an admitted penchant for muscular riffage amidst the fray. This album is equally explosive and introspective, and every listen reveals an additional layer of complexity. A must for those in search of quality chaotic black metal...but perhaps not an album intended to entice newcomers into the darkness.

Find it on bandcamp here!

Eremit - Desert of Ghouls 
(Transcending Obscurity)

Eremit--Germany's heaviest doom duo
--are swiftly becoming masters in their own right when it comes to delivering crushing-yet-atmospheric-sludge. Desert of Ghouls is a beast unto itself--easily their most ambitious and technically adept accomplishment yet. The behemothian bass tone is utterly sasquatchian. The drums are forceful and present. The compositions are dynamic and dexterous, at times reaching a near-hypnotic cadence. Sludge lives and dies by an ability to maintain interest, and here, Eremit's songwriting abilities clearly enhance the two tracks beyond the sum of their sonic parts. If you're looking to sample...I recommedn you just listen to the whole damn thing. "Beheading The Innumerous" is plodding and pummeling, whereas "City of Râsh-il-nûm" is more progressive and exploratory. Both are, I humbly submit, essential listening.

Find it on bandcamp here!

FRESH MEAT FRIDAY...erm, SATURDAY: July 4th, 2020

7/2/2020

Every Friday--in today's case, Saturday--a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so!

On the docket for today, July 4th, 2020:
Ancient Hand, Northern Crown, Gramma Vedetta, and Pale Witch

Ancient Hand - Best regards,
(Independent Release)

If you follow our shenanigans on Instagram, you may be aware of (unsubstantiated) rumors that I have accepted a sizeable bribe in exchange for this review. Let me dispel said rumor thusly: I love Ancient Hand's body of work, and Best regards, is his best work yet by a significant margin. Moving away from dungeon synth roots and into increasingly experimentally turbulent waters, this album is a wholly heartfelt exploration of pain, anger, and inevitable catharsis. Sonically, Ancient Hand embraces a palette of heft and aggression, moving into the arenas of dark(er), ambient, boom-bappy hip-hop beats, industrial noise, and EDM. It's a dynamic approach, and one that oozes emotive results--from the hard-hitting "metacognition" and "ORAL," to the reflective Interludes I & II, the intent is clear--but yet remains a joy to experience.

Find it at bandcamp here (for NYOP!)

Northern Crown – In A Pallid Shadow
(Independent Release)

This album, I am pleased to report, has been quite the grower. Occupying a strange space between, the respective mid-eras of Candlemass and Kansas, In A Pallid Shadow takes the traditional epic doom template and amps it up with a significant prog-rock extravagance. One wouldn’t think that the flair of the former former would benefit from, well, the flair of the latter, but here, Northern Crown have found a delicate balance that works remarkably well. Besides the tasteful application of the standard Hammond fare, the vocals are powerful and emotive, and the songwriting, while certainly not trim or restrained, feels meaningful and well-considered throughout the (pleasingly short) breadth. All told, this is an excellent album—almost certainly a candidate for many a doom-laden year end list.

Find it at bandcamp here!

FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: June 26th, 2020

6/25/2020

Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. oday is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so! Note: there was a veritable horde of excellent music released today. When the wagon overflows with such wealth, it's up to the weary peasants to make sure everything gets delivered. As such, our very own Volt Thrower stepped in to help provide some extra reviews. Enjoy the bounty!

On the docket for today, June 26th, 2020:
Pyrrhon, The Third Kind, Battle Born, Uprising, Green Claws, Pale Divine, Fleshvessel, and Ohhms

Pyrrhon - Abscess Time
(Willowtip Records)

I'll be honest: I genuinely had no clue how avant-garde metal mavericks Pyrrhon were ever going to top 2017's brilliant What Passes For Survival. As it turns out: they don't. But that's okay, 'cuz despite not pushing boundaries when taking their own work into consideration, this crew has once again proven their prowess in the avant-garde arena. This behemoth runs a veritable gamut of genres and influences, from grind, to raw death metal, to overtly experimental noise. The complexity on display is effectively unmatched by...well, anything other than the band's own past work. In sum? While Abscess Time didn't blow my expectations out of the water, it remains a prime example of Pyrrhon's dominance in the game.

Find it on bandcamp here!

The Third Kind - Man vs Earth
(Independent release)

Amen! My kingdom for a 23 minute album! I love frenetically brief onslaughts,
particularly when wrapped up in crossover thrash glory. As a street thrash outfit by trade and ethos, The Third Man is scrappy and tough, albeit with a subtly modern edge. There are skinned knees and elbows a-plenty to be had herein, with an emphasis on fast-paced verve and nose-bloodying groove. Tghe entire affair, of course, oozes NYC hardcore 'tude and swagger.

These guys don't even come close to reinventing the wheel with Man vs Earth, but I sincerely doubt that was ever the point. This is dynamic and energetic music perfect for a mosh or a bare-knuckle streetfight.

Find it on bandcamp here!

FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: May 22nd, 2020

5/22/2020

Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so! Note: there was a veritable horde of excellent music released today. As such, we tried to focus on some lesser-known artists for this edition. More reviews to follow in days to come!

On the docket for today, May 22nd, 2020:
Pile of Priests, Molder, Without Light, and Capra

Pile of Priests - Pile of Priests
(Extreme Metal Music)

That band name, right? That album artwork, right?! This looks like an absolute riot, and, thankfully, it sounds like one too. Pile of Priests play a gloriously theatrical brand of (alternately) thrashy and proggy death metal, with ample room for narrative. To their credit, these elements never conflict of clash--indeed, the narrative elements and progressive leanings, which might feel campy in lesser hands, lend the entire affair an oddly addicting charm. It takes guts to inject grunty riff-driven death metal with a soaring epic flair, but this self-titled beast handles the challenges...well, handily.

Pile of Priests is, in sum, a fun and competent conglomerate of independent elements that make death metal enjoyable. This particular scribe shall certainly be listening in weeks (and months) to come.

Find it on bandcamp here!

Molder - Vanished Cadavers
(Rotted Life Records*)

Speakin' of death metal, it's time for one of the underground's hottest acts in OSDM entertain-ment. If you've been following us for a while, you'll know that we Villagers are big fans of Molder's cadaver-licking style of death metal barbarity. As such, the release of the stellar Vanished Cadavers is a cause for much joy and celebration. This is everything I had hoped--big riffs, meaty production, vicious vocal onslaught, and a generally. This album, notably, employs a slightly thrashier edge than what we've seen before, as well as a clearer approach to rapid-fire composition. Fans of Autopsy rejoice. While it ain't fresh, Molder represents the concentrated form of everything we underground and old school death metal fans love about the genre trappings. They are, undoubtedly, going places. (*Also seeing release on Goatthrone and Headsplit.)

Find it on bandcamp here!

FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: May 15th, 2020

5/15/2020

Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so!

On the docket for today, May 15th, 2020:
In The Company of Serpents, Devangelic, OKKULTOKRATI, and Vide/Witchbones

In The Company of Serpents - Lux
(Self Released)

Now this. This is doom metal how I like it: an exercise in extremes. menacing yet delicate, dynamically light-footed yet seismically plodding, and utterly willing to throw genre convention out the window. From neo-folk acoustics to sludgy Neurosisian heft, In The Company of Serpents demonstrate a keen ability to shift expectations and apply nuance to a genre that all-too-oft relies entirely on the power of the riff. There's a gentle balance struck here between the lighter ambiance and the shadow-cast atmosphere that few bands are able to apply. Simply put, this is an engrossing album, likely to appeal to anyone who enjoys doom across the spectrum from thick sludge to esoteric psych. Hence, I do gladly declare that Lux is the greatest album this week has to offer.

Find it on bandcamp here!

Devangelic - Ersetu
(Willowtip Records)

Ersetu is the first album of its ilk to appear on Fresh Meat Friday--namely, an album that I don't understand, nor particularly enjoy. That said, there is something intriguing dwelling in these repetitive riffs, and I aim to spend the day figuring out what that quality is, hence the inclusion here. On the plus side: Devangelic has their brand of filthy rhythmic riffs delivered in rapid-fire succession down to a science. The downside? Those same incessant riffs are the entire meat of this album. There's no deviation, no dynamism in the songwriting--which ultimately leads to an utter lack of perception of one's place in the album. Track distinctions lose meaning. As such, Ersetu feels more like submersion into a brutal bath, an exercise in hypnosis by incessant march of sixteenths.

Find it on bandcamp here!

FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: May 8th, 2020

5/8/2020

Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so!

On the docket for today, May 8th, 2020:
...and Oceans, WitchUrn, Holden, Hadewijch, and ÆNON

...And Oceans - Cosmic World Mother
(Season of Mist)

Let's not draw this out: symphonic black metallers ...And Oceans have made a remarkably triumphant return from the depths of increasingly industrial and electronic experimentation. Here, the meloblack is (largely) back, with a renewed focus on atmospherics and melodic composition. Shylmagoghnar feels like an apt (albeit lesser) comparison, as ...And Oceans execute a blend of powerful aggression, triumphant and near-grandiose symphonics, and and gorgeous sonic accoutrements with a grace and confidence that very, very few can match. Cosmic World Mother is the kind of album that sucks you in an spits you out with the desire to immediately dive back in. This is a wonderous return to form for ...And Oceans, and is, undoubtably, an album that I will be enjoying for quite some time.

Find it on Bandcamp here!

WitchUrn - The Debt
(Self Released)

...But, dear readers, I am excited to inform you that today's best blackened-affiliated record may actually
be the debut album from WitchUrn. At risk of gushing, The Debt delivers almost everything I love in a single package--vicious thrashy freneticism, forward-thinking aggression, dynamic (and at times damn near surprising) composition, emotive vocals, and just enough braggadocio to exercise technical prowess without flaunting it. There’s just enough death metal weight to lend the affair a groundedness that blackened thrash all-too-oft lacks, and just enough progressive meandering to allow the audience a moment to breathe. I do wish that the acoustics of the intro were implemented a tad more, but...what else can I say? This is an absolute masterclass in how to write a (one man?!) debut album. Bravo. At this rate, a full-length review will undoubtedly follow.

Find it on Bandcamp here!

Holden - Ursa Minor
(Self Released)

Groove-laden post-sludge? Rest assured: this slumbering scribe is always down. On Ursa Minor, Holden demonstrate that they have studied long and hard at the school of Conan-esque riffage, leaning into sluggish heft with a languid aplomb. Meanwhile, some harsh vocals punctuate the enormity of the tone. As drawn-out riffs are the name of the game, this is not music that grabs your throat and demands attention. Rather, it feels cinematic in scope--a flowing soundtrack, not a series of distinct tracks. As such, it serves quite nicely as background tunage for those times when you want some slow riffs but aren’t in the mood to focus intently. I, for one, in spring-cleaning fervor, will be spending the day sweeping the cobwebs and mouse bones from our drafty scriptorium, Holden spinning all the while.

Find it on Bandcamp here!

Hadewijch - Herbal Doom
(Electric Valley Records)

Sometimes we all need to sink into the ethereal plant-based bliss of post-rock infused doom. Post-doom, perhaps? Who knows. In any case, Hadewijch deliver a single track-EP with the sole intent, presumably, in helping us calm our trouble minds. This track feels relentlessly organic--like falling asleep on the forest floor and become the compost heap upon which a garden grows. "Salvia" is dreamy, droney, and tastefully heavy. The meld of naturalism and unconventional stoner doom convention is pretty damn seamless.

As aforementioned 'round these parts, this particular scribe is consistently sober--but this EP/song makes me feel otherwise. Mission accomplished. If you've got 19 minutes to simply chill, I highly recommend you sample some Herbal Doom. Thank me later.

Find it on Bandcamp here!

BONUS TRACK RELEASE!

ÆNON - In All Honesty
(New Single!)

Normally I'm not one to go for metalcore, progressive or otherwise, but sometimes you need A. some meaty breakdowns and B. a melodic kick in the ass. ÆNON deliver both with their latest single--a Make Them Suffer/Parkway Drive-esque explosion of headbangable fury. Of particular note is the whiplash-inducing (in a good way!) use of tempo changes throughout the breadth of the track. It tugs and pulls and throws the listener, but never loses sight of the core sense of melodicism. Definitely a solid showing--I'm excited to see more from these guys. Check 'em out!

FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: May 1st, 2020

5/1/2020

Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so!

Note: today, May 1st, Bandcamp is waiving their revenue share for all sales. That means if you buy any of these releases (or any other albums/merch items you've had your eye on) before midnight PDT, the artists will directly benefit directly. In short: buy music today!

On the docket for today, May 1st, 2020:
KEVERRA, Yarrow, Tombstoner, and Icon of Evil (and Vredensdal!)

KEVERRA - Keverra
(Seeing Red Records)

Aggressive and sludge-ridden doom is the name of the game for these South Californian purveyors of sonic filth. That said, this self-titled debut notably doesn't seek to crush the listener into obliteration. There's a delicious post-metal subtle at play here--a balance between monolithic heft and gentle dynamism. Take, as a prime example, lead single "Bathsheba," which weaves winding introspective passages in the midst of sasquatchian riffage. I'm getting a vague Fugazi-meets-Lord Mantis vibe from this album--which, frankly, isn't something I ever knew I needed. But here we are, Keverra offered to the masses in white-knuckled grasp. Needless to say, Keverra have crafted a real winner--highly recommended for any fan of sludgy and emotive music. Another feather in Seeing Red Records' increasingly voluptuous cap.

Find 'em on bandcamp here!

Yarrow - We Made What God Could Not
(Self-Released)

What is it, exactly, that can God not make? Riffs of this sheer magnitude, evidently. Yarrow
plays a funereal brand of deathy doom--low, slow, and mind-numbingly heavy. It's like if Spectral Voice lost all hope for living and trip a premature trip down to Hell. Music of aggressive ilk is all-too-oft labeled as "soundtracks to a nightmare," but We Made What God Could Not genuinely feels like just that--the ponderous and plodding playlist constructed specifically for one's voyage down the Styx. It's depressive, angry, and carries itself with an indomitable weight. That's not to say it's all dirge, however. Take the back end of intro track "活け造り" and the subsequent lead-in on "Old Shadows," which indicate a more frenetic tone. A churning and cauldron-bubbling quality. All told, I'm quite impressed. Check this one out!

Find 'em on bandcamp here!

FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: April 16th, 2020

4/16/2020

Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so!

On the docket for today, April 16th, 2020:
At the Altar of the Horned God, FOES, REPTILIUM, and Funeral Leech

At the Altar of the Horned God - Through Doors of Moonlight (I, Voidhanger Records)

Ye olde I, Voidhanger specializes in delivering music that pushes boundaries and toes lines of obscurity and invention. In that regard, At the Altar of the Horned God certainly delivers: this album is a blackened avant-garde paganistic ode to the natural order. While the majority of the ritualistic soundscape blankets the listener with an odd meditative sensuality, a sharp vicious rage frequently shows teeth. Equal parts spiritual and menacing, Through Doors of Moonlight feels like a genuine journey--although it’s yet to be determined whether said journey leads into enlightenment...or through madness. Let me get back to you on that one; I’ve only listened to this horn’d beast once. Highly recommended for those of you who like a brand of black metal as experimental as it is organic.

Find 'em on bandcamp here!

FOES - American Violence
(Glacier Recordings)

Metallic hardcore? Not my typical genre o’ choice. But sometimes you just need an ass-kicking soundtrack, and so here we are, latest EP from OR’s hardest hardcore outfit clutched in white-knuckled grasp. In short? These guys rip it up with elbow elbow-throwing zeal, laying down a potent mix of punishing deathy riffage and gritty hardcore swagger. Muted chugs throw down alongside breakneck percussion and the most furious vocal delivery of the week. FOES are not here to make friends, and, in the process, will likely end up gaining themselves some fans instead--after all, if there was ever a time to be fuckin’ furious, this is surely it. American Violence succeeds because it wears its vitriolic intent on its ragged and punk-patch ridden sleeves. Check this one out.

Find 'em on bandcamp here!

FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: April 10th, 2020

4/10/2020

Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so!

On the docket for today, April 10th, 2020:
Like Rats, CURSE, Benighted, and the Women of Doom compilation

Like Rats - Death Monolith
(Hibernation Release)

Desperate times call for death metal. This, I’m fairly sure, was written as gospel at some point in the past 30-odd years. In any case, Chicago death outfit Like Rats are here to crush, mush, and otherwise pulverize this release day with their hardcore-tinged brand of OSDM. Offering up a hearty stew of Immolation riffage and Morbid Angel ‘tude, the groove is predictably strong with these guys, with every single track herein delivering an opportunity or two for a behemothian fit of headbanging.

If you’re in the mood for death without a jangly assortment of bells and whistles, I highly recommend you give Death Monolith a shot during your release day shenanigans.

Find 'em on bandcamp here!

CURSE - The Awakening..and the Old
(Redefining Darkness Records)

We’ve got two offerings from the consistently amazing Redefining Darkness Records today--the first being this tasty blackened thrash EP from Sweden’s CURSE. Those of ye who know me very well will know that I have a fondness for the black(ened thrash) arts, and these five tracks are no exception to the rule--although I will say that the general approach in a tad slower than genre convention might dictate. As a result, we’re presented with a surprisingly atmospheric assault, with the trashier elements feeling particularly visceral when they do unsheathe their claws. It’s as if the lovechild of Urgehal and early Watain were left to rot for a decade or two before being abruptly awoken. In other words: good stuff.

Find 'em on bandcamp here!

VILLAGE CRYPT: Novembers Doom - Of Sculpted Ivy and Stone Flowers

4/9/2020

Here at the Sleeping Village, we keep our most revered albums in....a very special place. Their time may have gone, but they are certainly not forgotten. Today's pick: another one of The Voiceless Apparition's all-time favorites. Read on!

Written by: The Voiceless Apparition

Hello everyone. Here is part II of my retrospective review series. Today I'm going to be reviewing the second studio album from Chicago dark metal pioneers Novembers Doom. Entitled Of Sculpted Ivy and Stone Flowers, this album was released on May 25th, 1999. This album marks a huge shift in the band's sound compared to their debut album, as they almost completely shed their death/doom bruteness (not entirely) and went instead for a more melancholy and melodic gothic metal sound.

The album begins on a melancholic note, as "With Rue and Fire" is a hauntingly painful song. Drowning in despair and regret, this song pulls at your heartstrings. With such heartbreaking lyrics like: "In some sick way, I enjoy my pain/It always seems to indulge me," you can't help but feel for vocalist Paul Kuhr as he belts out growls with such agony and conviction. "The Jealous Sun" picks up the pace a little bit, albeit with dynamic and mood shifts. I really liked the choice of layering the growls and clean vocals together in the first verse, it gives it more of an epic feeling to it. Major praise needs to be given to guitarist Eric Burnley as his choice of chords and melodies is fantastic. Towards the 4:00 mark we segue into a beautiful section of gorgeous clean guitars and the amazing vocals of Cathy Jo Hejna.