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.
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 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! 
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.  What, dear reader, makes a song--or an album, or an artist for that matter--quintessentially metal? That's obviously a question so broad as to be belligerently provocative, so let me just assert my two cents and get on with it: (italicized) metal is epitomized by chunky riffs, hefty atmosphere, a certain adherence to heartfelt aggression, and a devil-may-care attitude. Sure, the vast majority of music falling under the assorted subgenres will divert from this basic formula, but the existence of those factors can mean only one thing: metal is present. Time to break out the headbang.
New York's very own DemonScar are quintessentially metal, and their latest single--"MDCXCII," which we are honored to premiere here today--is a perfect exemplar of their Motorhead-by-way-of-Sabbath-by-way-of-Corrosion of Conformity aesthetic. In regards to the track in question, DemonScar state: “our new song has got a lot of those classic doom, stoner, and witchy vibes. Groove along with DemonScar as we journey back to Salem, 1692.” It's a tempting invitation, and I hope you take 'em up on the offer. Have yerselves a listen below:  Moonlow presents “apocalyptic noise poetry," and if that particular combination of descriptors wasn't what you were expecting to encounter today, join the club. This one-person artist in question writes music for fans of Current 93, Laurie Anderson, Crowhurst, A Forest of Stars, and Brian Eno--which, frankly, is an odd enough roster that an actual template isn't exactly apparent. The instrumentation is equal parts harsh and tranquil--a peaceful mediation routinely and unexpectedly beset by paralysis demons. The lyrics are spoken, whispered, and guttural fried with alternately tranquil and chaotic abandon. It's ritualistic, and enchanting, and....kind of scary. In a word: this is delightfully weird stuff.
Moonlow is the veritable poster-child of musical invention. Who Are You? is a strange and grand album, and "Day 3 (You Diminish Me)" is a prime representation of what lurks within. As such, the track before ye--and Who Are You? as a whole--is a wholly indescribable experience. Without further ado, then: listen for yourself!  While we Villagefolk are all-too-oft content to snooze whilst wrapped in the suffocating embrace of music's more extreme edges, a little diversification in the genre department can go a long way. I, for one, am a big fan of the murky and ill-defined worlds of dark ambient and experimental electronic--particularly when the artist in question plays with expectations in a, well, unexpected fashion.
Enter Emerson Sinclair--classically trained, but since described as "quietly metal as fuck,"--who combines seemingly incompatible elements of dark synth, rock, baroque, electronic, and traditional liturgical. Just the level of experimentation we needed to wake us from slumber. Needless to say, this combination of sounds and influences is a melding that is better witnessed than clumsily described. As such, we're happy and honored to premiere here today the music video for Emerson Sinclair "Singularity." This arresting track is the second single from the forthcoming Never Without The Pentagram, a split collaboration between the genre-melding artist featured here today, and cello-based black metal ensemble Hvile I Kaos. Without further ado: check out the video below! We'll meet you on the other side. 
For those of ye unfamiliar with what we're about to drag, half-moldered, from an early grave, allow me to sum it up thusly: Some Dead Bodies play some certifiably nasty death metal. It's a brand equally informed by the stomping drive of OSDM; a distinctly forthright heft and aggression generally reserved for the more brutal end of the death metal spectrum; and a fetid respect for horror grotesquely. Now, over the course of two releases, this mysterious outfit has repeatedly demonstrated that their harsh 'n' raw delivery works...quite well indeed.
From both an aesthetic and thematic perspective, today's track premiere in question is a stellar representation of the forthcoming Infernal Death as a whole. Without further ado, then, we're happy and honored to premiere "Skinwalker" here today. Give it a listen below, and (provided you're still standing intact) we'll meet you on the other side! 
While steeped in Some Dead Bodies' trademark application of lo-fi brutality, "Skinwalker" is defined in my mind by the back half--a somber, haunting, and otherwise spine-tingling atmospheric affair. Haunted house organs. Undiscernable noises. Gasping sobs in empty spaces. In a word: eerie. The balance here with the churning assault demonstrated in the track's first few minutes makes for a complete story, a moment of near-narrative transition that often goes amiss in the world of death metal, and OSDM in particular. This dynamic quality only makes sense; indeed, the veritable auteur Nobody (also ofvide infamy) possesses an undeniable sense of drama when it comes to leading--or dragging?--a listener through a track. Of particular note here are the drums, which crash and roll with a furious abandon. Meanwhile, the vocals, which exist largely as howls and tormented shrieks, are as horrific (in the best sense of the word) as you might expect. There's a tension and simultaneous compromise between the simple churning riff and the caustically anguished vocals that Some Dead Bodies continue to nail. All told? I'm a big fan of this track--and a bigger fan of the release as a whole entity, because some things are best experienced in the context of the overall package. If Infernal Death is like unto a rotten cadaver pulled from a mildew'd coffin, "Skinwalker" is a tantalizing glimpse at that visceral visage. Some Dead Bodies - Infernal Death will be released July 31st, and will see a cassette release from Blood Moon Productions and a vinyl release from Jems Label. I also highly recommend you check out that vinyl preorder! 
Some time back, we slumbering scribes reviewed Continuance, the forthcoming full-length from Fermentor, San Diego's (presumably) finest instrumental death metal duo. After writing said review, I've kept the album in question in heavy rotation, and am honored to premiere a track here today within our humble halls--the raucous "Stage V."
By way of intro, I'll blatantly self-plagiarize: "Whereas most groups would be significantly hindered by the lack of bass, vocals, and other such (seemingly necessary) fluff, Fermentor give "scarcity" a fresh coat of paint...whether flitting over thrashy pastures, sliding into smoky jazz-lounge-from-hell apparel, or stomping over the line where the technicality and unpredictability hits a level of proficiency that practically qualifies it the mathcore leagues, Continuance qualifies as an unpredictable ride no matter how you slice it." Before we get too far into the analysis, however, I highly recommend you give "Stage V" a listen here:
As if to prove a point, nearly all of the aforementioned genre and sonic descriptors apply in the context of this track. While the bulk is defined by a distinctly thrashy forward momentum--indeed, that militaristic drumming and the balls-to-the-wall guitar wouldn't feel out of place with some Angelripper shrieks over the top--there's also a sense of nuance that permeates Fermentor's work. Halfway through, for example, we're treated to a groovy-yet-proggy riff that sounds something like, I dunno, Pantera briefly covering Primus? The outro, in contrast, leans into a bluesier motif, which stands adjacent to the ceaseless and furious percussion.
Of course, the lack of vocals creates, by necessity, an increased focus on the instrumentation that exists in the confines of Fermentor's world, and "Stage V" feels like a solid argument for why the band succeeds without the standard accouterments. Regardless of motifs on display from moment to moment, the technical adeptness of this dastardly duo is something to behold. Otherwise, there's a drive to this track that prevents stagnation--rather than just repeating the same riff over the course, they keep things pleasingly varied. Bottom line: if you're a fan of heavy music that strives to switch up the game and try something new in the face of genre convention, you'll undoubtedly find something to enjoy lurking herein. Fermentor - Continuance will be released August 14th. You've still got some time before this bad boy is released, but in the meantime, you can spin "Stage V" above as many times as ye please. |
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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