These premiere things typically come equipped with a vaguely tangential intro. However, I'm too damn excited about today's track to meander en route to our destination. Without further ado, then:
Breaths is the latest project from multi-instrumentalist (and multi-talented, while we're at it) Richmond's own Jason Roberts. If you recognize the name--or the vocals, in due course--it's because we slumbering scribes have previously covered not one but two of his other bands: dreamy post-metallers CHNNLR and doom-afflicted post-metallers Conductor. This time around, however, he's striking out in a solo endeavor...that also carries itself with a certain post-metal gravitas. The track lurking below, "Lined in Silver," is the titular lead single in advance of Breaths' forthcoming debut album. Give it a listen, and, as always, we'll be waiting beyond the fold.
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In the grand scheme of riff-worship, a cover doesn't get much more salient than Sabbath's 1971 classic "Lord of This World"--a highlight track on an album crammed full of 'em. It's a track that Magnetic Eye Record's upcoming Best of Black Sabbath tribute compilation would, frankly, be incomplete without.
But, perhaps most importantly, it's a track deserving of a band worthy to shoulder the monstrous mantle. Howling Giant is without a doubt such a band, and we slumbering scribes are honored to premiere here today their stellar take on "Lord of This World." Give it a listen below! We'll meet you on the other side. While we Villagers have, alas, never had the good fortune of encountering a Tyrannosaurus Rex (or similar 'saurus) in the imposing flesh, today's offering provides the closest sonic equivalent the musical 'verse could possibly spawn. Enter Titanosaur, a one-man band from Hudson, NY. Over the course of a couple of albums, this guy practically exudes destructive coolness in a fashion only befitting the titular 30,000lb behemoth. Titanosaur, in other words, possesses some notable swagger and a fearsome bite. Titanosaur plays a self-reported "dash of Monster Magnet, pinch of Red Fang, large dose of Motorhead, and some Ramones for good taste, all poured over a bed of Black Sabbath." While such a wide bibliography of legendary acts all-to-oft feels like wishful thinking, I'm happy to report that all of these influences have made a clear mark on today's artist (and track!) From the whiskey-n-cigarette vocals, to the thundering drums, to the simple-yet-monolithic riffage, there's a clear stoner/desert rock grit on display, swaddled in a punky 'tude and doomy heft. But! Lest I give it all away here, I wholeheartedly recommended checking out "Deceiver" below. As always, we'll meet ya on the other side! When it comes to the music lurking in our humble halls, we Villagers have been happy, as of late, to abide in the presence of doom and gloom. But all things must change, and today's change comes in the form of...an alt-rock ballad? Not our typical fare, but upon receiving this track some time back, I was quite taken with its deceptively confident approach and (equally deceptive) replayability. Said track--"Dragon Of The West"--comes to us courtesy of one Underking, a versatile outfit that, by virtue of seemingly disparate influences, is actually a little hard to describe in a quick sound-bite. Their early stuff is more classically "metal," but this track delves deep into the mellow waters of the emotive rock ballad--promo material mentions both Meat Loaf and Judas Priest's softer side, which certainly applies, albeit with a significant orchestral bent. As if that wasn't enough, this thing is inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender. And, like, it has a wicked cool visualizer. Sign me up. Rather than scaring you all away with excessive explanation, how about you just give it a listen for yourself? Check out the subtly mighty "Dragon Of The West" below, and, once you've had your fill, I'll meet you on the other side. Disillusioned as I am, this particular scribe simply won't consider a day complete unless it involves a good ol' depressive existential spiral. This routine harrowing glimpse into the bleakness of my future and the future of my future children requires, of course, an apt soundtrack, and I'm quite certain a sizable contingent of our readership would consider death doom a poor choice. In any case: the yard-long stare is engaged and the tears are primed to flow, so let's tuck in, shall we? Today, we are pleased to premiere a bangin' single from The Encompassing Nothing, the debut EP of Arizona's foreboding one-man Thorn. Comprised solely of the guitarist from sci-fi grindcore oufit Xeno Ooze (a band we love 'round these parts) and GLITTERBOMB (a harsh noise project with which we were shamefully unfamiliar,) a little extremity is to be expected, albeit in a significantly more cavernous end of the musical spectrum. Thorn plays a hearty conglomerate of bituminous doom and paleolithic death--not the most original take, sure, but certainly a high-quality paragon of the style. It's low, slow, somber, menacing, and coated in a dank grotto patina--or, in lieu of adjectives, just imagine the sonic representation of the album artwork before ye. Without further ado, check out "Fields Of Blight" below!
Alright, picture this. It’s another friday night at your prototypical dive--you know the scene. 80’s wood paneling, scabby pool table, cardboard coasters. Cigarette butts litter the bathroom floors. Bad lighting. Cheap beer and urinal cakes. Two or three dead soldiers on the table already, with room for more. The band moves in, sets up, and launches into a boisterous set. It should be a normal night.
But it isn’t, because the band is Brandy and the Butcher. You don’t know ‘em now, but you’ll know 'em soon. By the first few notes, they have your attention. By the chorus, everyone stares in bewilderment. By the time the first song rolls to an end, accompanied by raucous applause, everyone in the damn room has swiftly come to the same conclusion: this is, by far, the best entertainment this bar has ever seen. Practically leaps and bounds beyond the typical rocker mold. This is exactly how quality rock 'n' roll should make you feel. In a word: invigorated. To draw you back to the here and now, we slumbering Villagers are honored to premiere Dick Circus, the latest effort from these talented South Carolinians. Fire it up below, and we'll meet ye, as always, on the other side!
We slumbering peasantry tend to grumble and complain about the back-breaking labor involved in this review-writin' trade, but this profession isn't marked solely by a surplus of sweat and tears. When encountering hordes of new music and bands on a daily basis, there are many moments of pure and unbridled excitement--and nothing is more invigorating than a brand new band that positively reeks of potential. Such is the case with today's (one man!) crew in question: Philadelphia's Mothman and the Thunderbirds. The sheer fact alone that this single track has garnered a bevy of reviews from our neighboring blogs and publications should be indication of the promise, and we haven't even got to the damn music yet.
To review such a track is exciting, but to premiere one is a genuine honor. Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, give "Nomad" a listen below! We'll meet ye on the other side. TRIPPY WICKED & THE COSMIC CHILDREN OF THE KNIGHT - Time Served (WEEDEATER Cover Track Premiere)8/17/2020 Typically, when we sleepy scribes think of doom metal, the hallmarks of the genre's trademark guitar tone--fuzzy, warm, peas-soup thick--is what comes to mind first. When recalling the classics, from Sabbath to Sleep and every legend between, a little riff worship counts for a helluva lot. Imagine our surprise and delight, then, when asked by UK's own bluesy/stoner doomsters Trippy Wicked & the Cosmic Children of the Knight to premiere an acoustic cover of Weedeater's "Time Served." At the beginning of this year, the band's plans to record a third full length were put on hold due to Covid-19. Thereafter, in their words: "out of work and with a lot of time on their hands, they decided to start remotely recording some of the acoustic material they have worked on over the years. This material includes some cover songs and some acoustic versions of Trippy Wicked songs." Silver linings, folks. As a fan of the track in question, and of acoustic instrumentation in general, I immediately said yes, albeit with a certain trepidation as to how the formula would translate in practice. Said trepidation evaporated in seconds. The OG "Time Served" is a shining gem in Weedeater's catalog--a brief yet somber stoner ditty constructed around a kind of simple and gargantuan riff that plods with sasquatchian heft around Collin's fuzzy-edged pleas of innocence. It's a great track, and I'm pleased to state that Trippy Wicked have succeeded masterfully at reconceptualizing the track in a significantly more graceful light. Without further ado, give it a listen here: These days, it's a dangerous business--as a wise scribe once wrote--going out your door. For obvious reasons, it has been quite some time since we highfalutin peasants put on the ol' adventuring boots, packed our rucksacks, and headed out for the high road, a thirst for new scenery and unexpected encounters our only true motivation. As such, I'm particularly excited as of late to feature music that evokes a sense of fantastical adventure. Enter (the accurately moniker'd) Celtic Metal Dude--not a band, but a man who endeavors to create acoustic and folk covers of folk and metal. Said covers are accompanied by some of the most gloriously bombastic music videos I've had the pleasure of witnessing as of late. Much assorted headgear, swords, beer, barechestedness, tattoos, and general emotive enthusiasm await. Y'know, the usual folky metal shenanigan stuff. For reference, please see Exhibit A:
Beyond the visual aesthetic, of course, is the music, which is frankly some of the most engaging of its ilk. Today's song in question is a joyous little ditty with exactly the dosage of uplifting vim and vigor that I suspect we all need right about now. It's got a woodsy charm, an infectious sense of jubilance, and a self-awareness that only the best of drinking songs possess. There's a delicious lushness to this track, from the lightfooted percussion, to the flute solo, to the gang vocals, which practically ooze camaraderie. I don't know how many more ways I can say that this is a helluva fun track, so there you have it. This is a helluva fun track, and I hope you enjoy as much as we slumbering villagers did. If this all sounds like your definition of a damn good time, check out the video for "High Adventure" below! This track, released today, is an original, but we'll let the Celtic Metal Dude speak on that in detail below. In the meantime:
Y'know what I find so endlessly endearing and intriguing about Connecticut's own Turkey Vulture? Despite a lack of released tunes in the grand scheme--indeed, the tracks herein account for, like, half of their discography--this duo consistently brings startlingly fresh ideas. Every track to their name is a new take, an exciting conglomerate of seemingly non-adjacent influences.
In other words: if invention is a product, Turkey Vulture produce it with an admirable fervor. Mixing olde-timey Americana with aggressively studded punk, morose grunge, and sludgey hard rock shouldn't, frankly, work as well as they make it. We’ve reviewed both their debut EP and a followup single, so if three reviews ain’t good enough reason to check ‘em out, I’m not sure how to help ye out of your particular predicament. Intro aside: let's get to tunes, shall we? We're honored to present here today--in full!--a premiere of Time To Pay, Turkey Vulture's latest (and greatest) EP. That's right. Four banging tracks, fresh off the press. Eat ‘em up while they’re still hot. It's damn good, but don't just take my word for it! |
Welcome!We provide thoughtful reviews of music that is heavy, gloomy...and loud enough to wake us from slumber. Written by a highfalutin peasantry. What are ye
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