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.
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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. 
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. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
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. 
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.” 
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. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Washington D.C. thrashers Desolus hit the scene a few years ago, and while I can’t pretend they took me by storm, I also can’t pretend that I wasn’t impressed with their thunderous debut album System Shock. Remaining in the same lane for their second time around, they’ve followed things up with the same Teutonic vibe. Titled Dwellers Of The Twilight Void, things stick to the same structure as well, flying by in shorter blasts for a digestible ride. It should then be no surprise that what’s before us is a pretty familiar formula. Brash attitudes captured under a backbone built on speed work as the musical foundation, topped with nasty shrieks that combine a blackened undertone with moody snarls. If there’s much worth noting of difference, it’s that higher falsettos are a little more common this time around, and weirdly, the production almost feels dirtier rather than cleaner. Otherwise, you’ll find most moments of note when a slower cooldown or riff-driven bridge takes over, which I enjoy most when vocals are part of that, such as in "Trespass The Threshold." 
Written by: The Administrator
I've talked a lot about Revered and Reviled Above All Others (henceforth RRAAO) over the years. And yes, I fully intended to publish this review upon the release of their latest, 2025's Futile/Servile. However. I am terrible at finishing projects and thus sat on an almost-but-not-quite draft for, uhhhh, 8 months? Please accept my apologies. I will not learn and it will happen again. In any case, I'm glad you're here, and I'm glad to be talking about RRAAO once more. Let's cut to the punch. As of November 7th of last year, RRAAO are back with a verifiable vengeance. After a great many listens, Futile/Servile still vibrates me to my very core. Every time, it hits like a mile-long freight train, each car filled to the brim with overwatered concrete. I guarantee that never before have you been piledriven by music so relentlessly sloshy. Their sound is uniquely heavy and damp and suffocating. Listening to an RRAAO album is like being digested in the confines of some giant plodding amphibian. It's a pretty singular aesthetic and physical experience, and one that no other band, to my knowledge, has been able to replicate. Which kind of stands to reason, given the unique genre tag. 
Written by: The Administrator
Welcome, dear readers, to a new edition of AMPWALL Roundup! For any Ampwall Discordians not in the know, this is our (unfortunately and embarrassingly infrequent) column dedicated to shining a little light on the music we sleepy villagers find whilst trawling through the explore page. It's been quite some time since we last dropped a roundup--don't bother checking the Volume III publication date, please--but we're back in the saddle and ready to talk about some cool music. In the many months since Volume III, Ampwall has added a bunch of features, including an app. Very handy for when an intrepid user wants to listen whilst, y'know, on the go. If you don't know what this whole Ampwall thing is all about, please take a quick gander at Volume I, where we get a little more in-depth regarding the platform/marketplace/community. In sum: we here at ye olde Sleeping Village are big advocates for the integration of additional resources into the independent artist's promo toolkit. To that end, having more music-purchasing people become aware of Ampwall's existence will only help it grow as a viable option moving forward. Let's get to the music, shall we? Below are 6 bands I recommend checking out. And, if you're looking for more recommendations, give Volumes I, II, and III a read! 
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. |
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