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This year, in an attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we're trying something new and novel around these parts. Namely, we're gonna actually publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. In that spirit, here's a mini-review of a single worth checkin' out.
Written by: The Administrator
Fuzzy psyched-out stoner rock. I want it. I need it. Thankfully, AAWKS have delivered the goods on a silver platter, in the form of a fun new single preceding their forthcoming debut. "Space City" delivers exactly what it promises: Built on the back on the kind of trippy meanderings and monolithic fuzz we've only come to expect from the genre, this track doesn't stray terribly far from the classic Fu Manchu-ian school of thought. Notably, however, the hefty riffs aren't the only thing holding "Space City" together--like unto the masters of the craft, AAWKS inject their songwriting with healthy dose of melody and just enough psyched-out meandering to keep things from feeling, y'know, too grounded. "Space City" slows it down to a fairly plodding clip for a significant portion of the runtime, which is a smart choice, given the blissfully languid quality of the fantastic vocals. There's a sense of pure calm that ensconces the track as a whole. Indeed, this is the kind of music that practically demands the listener be A. chilled out and B. in the mood for some overt amp worship. While I do hope that the forthcoming full length demonstrates a modicum of variety across the breadth, this single is an excellent indication of AAWK's ability to write a high quality (and highly replayable!) stoner rock song. "Space City" bodes well for what's to come. Give it a listen below!
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In what must come as a bit of a shock, I enjoy (and indeed seek out) music that feels fresh, and unusual, and patently weird. Given this proclivity, a premiere request from Euphoriadic Studios hitting the inbox inevitably bodes well. I'm comfortable stating that today's artist in question offers a potent blend wholly unlike anything I've ever heard before, and that alone is enough to get the ol' heart a-pounding. Listening to a bat eating her wings by New Jersey's own short term memory loss is a jarring and electrifying experience. Needless to say, we are excited and honored to present said experience to our unexpecting readership.
But. Before I vomit forth a grotesque collection of adjectives and scare you all away, please give a bat eating her wings a well-deserved listen below. As always, we'll meet ye on the other side! 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
What an incredible time for some Ukrainian death/thrash centered on horrors of war. Taking formation only a couple of years ago, Mortal Vision managed to get their debut full-length out late last year, hitting my radar at the beginning of this year. Though there’s no shortage of this style, it’s always nice when it can be pulled off so wonderfully. Mind Manipulation does just that. Immediately, the Sepultura-meets-Morbid Angel vibes are going to set in, and they never really go away for the full run. Under a slightly clearer umbrella, Mind Manipulation boasts riffs far more on the thrash side, caking on some grooves to break up an approach that’s pretty one-sided. Naturally, the speeds never really slow down other than to swing in these more memorable bridges and to give way to the solos. Things like the bouncy rhythms on “Condemned To Death” or the ascending sweeps meeting harder drum clashes with “Apophenia” add plenty of life.
This year, in an attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we're trying something new and novel around these parts. Namely, we're gonna actually publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. In that spirit, here's a mini-review of a Very Good heavy psych single.
Written by: The Administrator
Today's mini-review is brought to you by my noteworthy inability to get stuff done when I intend on getting it done. I first heard this stellar single by Kansas' own They Watch Us From The Moon upon release back in December of 2021, and it's taken a few months to muster the wherewithal to actually put my praise to text. I apologize to the band for my tardiness. In any case, we're here now. In a word (or rather two): holy fuck. "Return to Earth" is a magnum opus from a band that inevitably has another magnum opus in store. This 10-plus minute track is a stellar display of the mastery of craft They Watch Us From The Moon have accomplished in a relatively short time. Their heavy-psych-by-way-of-doom is heavy on atmosphere, and carries itself with a comfortable air that recalls the more cosmic sides of Slomatics and Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, and perhaps a doomed-out interpretation of Meddle-era Pink Floyd. The multiplicity of vocal styles is a particular strong suit, with Luna Nemeses leading the pack with a simply delightful tone that sails comfortably above the instrumentation and various backing vocals. While spacious enough to leave the listener vaguely untethered, the track is ultimately grounded by the sheer catchiness of the refrain, which runs across the whole with a hypnotic consistency. While some may find the runtime excessive for the elements presented, I'm a huge fan of the borderline meditative environment that blossoms from the repetition of the stirring chorus, particularly in the back half. If this moon crew's next project contains tracks of this caliber, we're in for one helluva treat--which says something, considering how damn good 2020's Moon Doom! was. Bottom line? This is a stunning song, and if you enjoy stoner doom, heavy psych, or any related variations thereof, I can almost guarantee that you'll find yourself kicking back and throwing "Return To Earth" on repeat. 
Written by: The Administrator
Blackened industrial doom metal isn't a sonic environ this particular scribe frequents with regularity. Sometimes, however, one feels the urge to conquer the unknown and descend directly into the bowels of the underworld. And so here we are, amongst the brimstone and the inferno, with Son of Seth assuming the role of psychopomp as we meander ever downwards. While genre labels are easy to throw around, what Son of Seth actually sounds like is a remarkably ever-evolving affair across the 26 minutes constituting De Dor A Odio. Intro track "Tortured Sight" begins with some noise-ridden atmospherics, an ominous and cinematic soundscape that is pulled apart by the thunderous arrival of what I can only imagine as a behemothian kaiju. And then it’s off to the races as the tortured vox emerge from the fray. While carrying themselves with a certain blackened bite, the vocal delivery reminds me more of something dredged from the world of harsh noise--add some overt pitch modulation, and you've got a mechanical vibe akin to something from Marijuana Deathsquads. But make no mistake: this is a calculatedly spooky affair, heavy on the atmosphere and bituminous ambience. The industrial influences shine through, resulting in an organically mechanized soundscape that practically begs for accompanying HR Giger illustration.
This year, in an attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we're trying something new and novel around these parts. Namely, we're gonna actually publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. In that spirit, here's a mini-review of an EP worthy of yer attention.
Written by: The Administrator
Given a suspicious influx of thrash-centric reviews as of late here at ye olde Sleeping Village, you might assume that our inksplattered scribes are being, erm, materially influenced by the powerful Thrash Metal Lobby. And you would be entirely correct in that assumption. Anyways, here's a mini-review of a sick new 3-track EP. France's Corruption is a collaboration betwixt two brothers who share an exceedingly apparent affinity for the Big 4 thrash titans: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and...Testament. That influence shines through, and it's clear Corruption have harnessed their inspirations. Dead Is The Soul is an exceedingly tight and well-executed affair, as technically precise as it is regrettably brief. There's a certain restraint at play--there aren't any off-the-rail moments here, which is a quality that translates pretty damn well for anyone looking for a thrashin' good time without excess intensity. Notably, Corruption keep things moving. There's never a dull moment across these three tracks, and both brothers keep their feet on the gas, delivering an engaging series of combat-boot stomping riffs, crisp yet concise solos, and tastefully muffled reintroduction of previously introduced motifs. Because of this attention to variety, there aren't dull moments. I personally like thrash that focuses on groovy heft instead of needlessly flashy wankery, and in this department, Corruption certainly brings the goods. I'm very impressed with what they hath wrought, and am equally impressed with their proficiency given a newcomer status. "Devour" is my favorite track of the three due exclusively to the sheer headbangability of the chorus and the tasteful inclusion of cleans on the back half to offset the harsher vocals. That said, if yer listening to one track, you might as well listen to 'em all--"Network of Death" packs a whole lot o' thrashy goodness into a cohesive display, and closer "The Snake Embrace" is, simply put, catchy as fuck. In sum: Dead Is The Soul is an excellent appetizer. I'm excited to witness whatever Corruption cook up next.  Written by: The Voiceless Apparition
Hello everyone! Welcome to 2022. I feel like it's been a while since I've been here to provide you all an album review. I know that the 200 Stab Wounds album wasn't that long ago, but so much has happened since then. Thank you for sticking around with me, and with the Sleeping Village. We're kicking off the year with a new album from one of my favorite bands of all time, Amorphis, with their latest album Halo. Not much has changed in the Amorphis camp, with the exception of them leaving Nuclear Blast Records and signing with upstart label Atomic Fire Records. Now that we have that out of the way, let's dive in. First thing you'll notice with this album is that it is HEAVY. This possibly one of the heaviest albums in Amorphis' discography. They've dialed back on the symphonic elements and went for an outright progressive assault on their folk and melodic death metal sound. The songs are more concise than on previous album Queen of Time, but pack more into these 4-5 minute run times. "Northwards" begins on a typical Amorphis note with big double bass patterns and Tomi Joutsen's signature growls and epic clean vocals backed by grandiose choir vocals, and a tasty mellotron solo in the middle of the song.
This year, in an attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we're trying something new and novel around these parts. Namely, we're gonna actually publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. In that spirit, here's a mini-review of a thrash single worth checking out.
Written by: The Administrator
Karachi's Tabahi are, in their words, the only thrash metal band from Pakistan. "Politricks" is their first track in seven years. The math is pretty clear: there isn't a whole lot of thrash coming out of Pakistan. Despite being the sole bearers of the banner, Tabahi are evidently making a hell of a scene on their own--this new single is an absolute ripper. If you're a fan of the pounding riffage and general savagery of the progenitors of German thrash, you'll inevitably find "Politricks" an enjoyable ride. Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction are accurate points of comparison. There's not much seat-of-the-pants Bay Area freneticism here--the solo towards the end, for example, feels contained rather than something you might find coming from, I dunno, Forbidden. Indeed, the band describes the guitar's approach as "claustrophobic," which feels accurate, given the meaty tone and propensity to pummel. While there isn't exactly much innovation at play, the extremely polished aggression that this duo offers up only serves to demonstrate the reality that newer bands can execute the formula as confidently as legacy acts. The instrumentation is tight, the vocals are muscular and vicious, and the energy is through the roof. This is everything a modern thrash track should be, and when it comes to overtly targeting the political deception and hypocrisy they witness in their environ, Tabahi are utilizing their songcraft to its fullest extent. The band considers this single "a direct call out." You love to see it. Notably, this track prompted me to check out their self-titled album from 2014, which is quite enjoyable as well. They've got a second album coming out this summer--keep yer eyes and ears appropriately peeled. 
Written by: The Administrator
A good symphonic metal album appeals, by default, to fans of symphonic metal, but often has a hard time reaching beyond a fandom predisposed to enjoy the grandiose flair and bombast inherent to genre convention. Luckily, the demographic of people who can kick back and enjoy the likes of Epica or Nightwish is a sizable contingent...albeit not particularly well represented here at the Sleeping Village, both in terms of scriberly inhabitants and our noble readership. In any case, if you drink deep of epic and/or symphonic waters, you'll likely find something worth celebrating in Unfinished. At risk of showing my cards too early, I'm of the mind that the long-awaited debut from Chicago's Shield of Wings is an impressive feat indeed. Moreover, it serves as a very strong foot forward for a band with clear potential to rope in a sizable fanbase. Let's dive in. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
I first discovered Fetid Zombie through their Death Covenant EP in early 2020. While pretty impressive, channeling the strong Obituary and rotting vibes, I certainly didn’t foresee them jumping to this level of intensity (this is also going in with no knowledge about the earlier full-lengths). Enter Transmutations, an absolute beast of a record that swings in a completely different position. Not only is the songwriting longer and more advanced, it’s so much more cohesive than I would have pictured. Across the board, you have a friendly dose of hoarse and cavernous wailing (vocally and instrumentally), melodic traditional metal riffing, dissonant and intense lead passages, and a plethora of different vocal varieties. Almost never does a death metal record of this type pull off the traditional growls, roaring echoes, and even clean singing at times, like in the soft intro of “Dreamless Sleep Awaits.” But don’t mistake this for some generic melodeath accessible serving; it manages its accessibility with writing tactic that winds up being catchy. Lots of bells and whistles, synths, and effects are tossed in for wonderful measure. |
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