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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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 Written by: The Administrator
On this fine Sabbath Sunday, we inksplattered inhabitants of the Sleeping Village have been dipping our toes in the dangerous and troubled waters of 80’s era Black Sabbath. As one does. In the grand scheme, the general sentiment is that if it ain't Ozzy or Dio, it ain't Sabbath. While I personally tend to find the albums featuring said vocalists the most appealing, we are talking about Iommi, the Rifflord Most High, and as such, there are certainly some diamonds in the rough. Case in point: 1983's Born Again--perhaps the most maligned of the black sabbathian sheep. Is it fair to say I'm disappointed that Born Again was Ian Gillian's only foray with the boys from Birmingham? My rational is that this one-off album, despite repeatedly getting the short end of the stick--often deservedly so-- demonstrates a whole lot of unactualized promise. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Mourn The Light is the first of the inevitable “incredible album from last year that I didn’t discover until January.” Hailing from Connecticut here in the states, they do a very up-tempo brand of doom metal with traditional heavy metal influences. Rather than being dark and gloomy at all turns, they head the warmer direction and construct music that’s full of emotion and strong tempo. Having been around for a couple years now, last summer they released their debut full-length titled Suffer, Then We’re Gone. Coming at it with this approach immediately makes it more digestible as an album on the longer side. Naturally, grand constructions bordering the epic end (without the obnoxious toppings) take the majority of the cake. There are pretty extreme shifts in mood that somehow work, easily seen in the hook-friendly opener “When The Fear Subsides.” It rides on that gothic sadness that Idle Hands utilizes, before swinging into an acoustic, clean and upbeat outro. The title track also opens up side B with a very similar, bassy approach before switching entirely to the heaviest moment on the album. 
Written by: The Administrator
Despite not having the largest back catalog or most widespread popularity, Wo Fat are one of those rare monolithic bands who deliver with such marked consistency that, as time goes on, their albums seem less like moments in a discography, and more like myths that comprise a greater lore. Their latest LP comprised of new material, 2016's Midnight Cometh, is no outlier. On this no-nonsense affirmation of their core aesthetic, swirling, psychedelic, and pseudo-hypnotic riffage paves the way through a chest-deep swampy ambiance. When I think "stoner," this album rises as a prototypical paragon of the sound and the style. Maybe I'm jaded for thinking it is such a prime exemplar, but so be it. This album simply reeks of smoke. It perpetually sits behind a hazy veil. This is stoner music of the highest order, plain and simple.  It's a new year 'round these parts, which means we're ready for some new renditions of old traditions. That's right, dear readers: it's time once more to pull back the curtains of the Sleeping Village's dusty amphitheater and present another experience of the audiovisual persuasion.
If you're tuning in hoping for something bone-crushing or nausea-inducing, check back some other time. Hungary's Kajgūn, today's band in question, leans a little further into the lighter fare, offering a potent fusion of instrumental psych, jazz, and doom with a profoundly experimental character. If that doesn't sound unique enough, here's the real kicker: Kajgūn operate through complete and total improvisation. Their methodology results in some truly unexpected sights and sounds. It is spaced out, and trance-like, and as engrossing as you might hope it to be. Today, we're happy and honored to present the music video for "Maorey Suh Raawb," the first track on Kajgūn's forthcoming album. Entitled Daogoad, this four-track project will be released on February 11th in both audio and visual form. Without further ado, check it out below! We'll catch ye, as always, on the other side. 
Written by: The Administrator
Proponents of, y'know, not judging a book by its cover: try this one on for size. Look at that moniker. Look at that project title. My god, look at that artwork.* The black lagoon beckons. Prepare thyself accordingly. Bong Coffin's bio states "heavy stuff, we hope." I am but one listener with limited authority as such, but I'm comfortable stating that this is, indeed, heavy stuff. But sheer weight aside: is it good? Aye. And the most solid indication that this is Good Shit? The reality that each of the three tracks herein is my favorite on the project. They are each unique, and surprisingly catchy, and emotive enough to generate a heartfelt kinetic response. As such, Swamp-Kings and Sunken Citadels presents a high degree of replayability. I've listened to this thing quite a bit at a generally inappropriate volume, as any fellow inhabitant of ye olde Sleeping Village can begrudgingly attest. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
After the Finnish doom act Church Of Void disbanded, some of the members would break off and form Fimir. Tomb Of God is their first full-length, dropping earlier this year. Similar in style to the disbanded group, they stick to the traditional doom complex that feels very tight for the genre. Modern production over familiar riffing styles and small nuances make this a pretty pleasant listen. Comprising of six songs on the longer side of things, Tomb Of God manages to fill them with solid build-up and gradual shift. It also avoids any and all “epic” doom tactics as well as steering clear from fuzzy, obnoxiously distorted stoner tones. As the record progresses, the groovier hooks lean more and more onto the heavier side. Density and threatening auras cloud the rhythm sections, causing the end of the record to reach peak heaviness. “Mausoleum Craft - Tomb of God pt.3” has an intro that could heat up a whole room.  Written by: The Administrator
If, dear reader, you have traipsed through the swampy environs of underground stoner doom any time in the past 18 months, there's a very good chance you have encountered a lil' band named Bog Wizard. These self-proclaimed peddlers of nerd doom--or "fat riffs and natural crits," for the more poetic among us--released a (well-received) debut album last year, a split with Dust Lord this spring, and are on the cusp of dropping their sophomore LP, Miasmic Purple Smoke, out Dec. 3rd via The Dregs Records. Their track "Swamp Golem" served as the mighty closer of our own Caravan of Doom, so, like, we're obviously big fans 'round these parts. Needless to say, these magicians from the mire have been putting in the work, and ain't slowing down anytime soon. Thank goodness. We're pleased and honored to present here today a premiere of the lyric video for "Miasmic Purple Smoke," the title track and second single from the aforementioned forthcoming album. Before we scare ye away with our ceaseless blathering: give it a well-deserved watch and listen below. Dig in! 
Written by: The Administrator
While some bothersome haters seem to bemoan its very existence, instrumental doom is a subcategory that simply makes a lot of sense. After all, it removes the substantial potential to be dragged down by sub-par vocals, while simultaneously placing the emphasis squarely on the riffs. And frankly, that's not exactly a bad place for the emphasis to be. Good ol' fuzz-laden stoner doom riffs soothe the soul, and on their debut 4-track EP, Atlanta's Empty Black deliver some pretty promising goods. The implicit question? Whether or not their brand of instrumental doomage is able to maintain interest across the breadth--whether or not the guitar, in other words, possesses the star power to adequately fill the limelight. I argue that here, it succeeds quite magnificently. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Taking formation about a decade ago, Worm built themselves on a black metal laced template that would evolve by the time their debut came out in 2017. Two years later, they broke into a bigger audience with Gloomlord, cementing themselves more into the doom/death realm. This year we got Foreverglade, a more refined version of what they’d been working towards, and this hit serious levels of peak performance. Taking their earlier black influence, they inject this into the latest sound while trimming up any sharp edges. By removing “sharp edges,” I mean the songwriting takes a substantial step forward, which I think the band lacked prior. Mostly, it isn’t overly foreign; you still get your doses of cavernous growls over gut-wrenching doom/death chugs, with the higher pitched howling leads to contrast this swampy execution. But incredibly, the production allows the deeper rhythms to feel more pronounced than before, which makes them standout enough on their own. Now add in the blackened drum tropes and higher, precise screams, and you’ve got a bit of a different animal on the loose. |
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