|
In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we're gonna actually publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. Here's a mini-review of a rockin' single that I simply can't stop listening to.
Written by: The Administrator
When I find myself spending a little too much time in the doom and the gloom, a bangin' rock 'n' roll song serves as the inevitable cure. "Six Years" is the only track Moonlust currently has on tap, and goddamn, it handily qualifies as a hard-rockin' barnburner. This thing is addictive, plain and simple. In an exceedingly brisk 2 minutes and 8 seconds, Moonlust delivers exactly what I crave in a single. Driving central riff? Check. Foot-stomping momentum? Check. Engaging vocals, delivered with the kind of emotive fullthroatedness that practically demands audience participation? Check. A no-nonsense solo that feels complimentary and not a mere accessory? Check. A speedy runtime that leaves me desperately wanting more? Check. Check, check, check. Fully and completely. When I say I have listened to this song a total of 15 times in the past few days, I am not exaggerating. I am glued to that damn repeat button, and that, frankly, is a very good problem to have. "Six Years" has hooks and charisma in spades, and I can only hope that this standalone single exists as a harbinger of more to come. Give it a listen below! Moonlust - Six Years was released Jan. 6th, 2023.
4 Comments
Written by: Blackie Skulless
More often than not, I find it difficult to unearth heavy metal crossed with AOR in recent years that doesn’t reek of old men overproducing something generic that sounds like a cover of an ‘80s song. In the rare instances where this isn’t the case, expectations go beyond being met. Sumerlands nails this latter description. Being on their second album, these Philadelphia heavy metallers have taken what their debut longed to be and made it a reality. This isn’t to say the self-titled record was bad, but Dreamkiller is where the full potential is realized. Given what we know, you can expect lot’s of metal-oriented riffing that doesn’t really utilize dense distortions or minor keys, but holds onto the rhythmic progressions firmly enough. Shrieking solos, synth-backings, and some of the cleanest singing adds a spacey atmosphere, invoking the feeling of shedding old skin for new enlightenment. Musically, things are ultimately rather light, but the amount of layers allows it to feel full for such a short album. Being only eight tracks, every bit of space is filled to the brim, either taking a steadier approach or a galloping one.  Written by: Blackie Skulless
Ah yes, we’ve once more come around to one of those album covers where looking at it tells you exactly what you’re in for. If you guessed throwback traditional heavy metal, you’d be correct. Midnight Rider are a German-based group that have been around for nearly two decades, but only got around to a full length five years ago. Their follow-up titled Beyond The Blood Red Horizon dropped very recently, giving off vibes as warm as the colors on the cover. Strangely enough, Midnight Rider avoids the speed metal trope that likes to be used in many variants of this type of project. Instead, the focus leans closer to the blusier end of things, channeling classic rock vibes under just enough metal riffing to qualify it as Judas Priest inspired. If their first album met with the debut Rainbow album, and topped things off with some thicker distortions, you’d basically get Beyond The Blood Red Horizon. 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 checking out.  Written by: The Administrator Watching the growth of Legendarium over the past few years has been a real treat. Each frequent release has been better than the last, which inevitably starts to raise the question: when does upward trajectory stop? When does a plateau in quality become apparent? Not yet, that's for damn sure. The forthcoming Death's Hand In Yours--this year's second full length LP from the band in question--demonstrates Legendarium at their best. It's a varied and confident continued foray into heavy metal. Death's Hand In Yours exists as a glorious homage to the tropes and motifs of the genre at large, and for that reason alone, it presents an absolutely delightful listening experience. But alas, I am not here today to review the album at large; that can wait. Today's praise is reserved for the mighty "Caelador, Destroyer," the latest advance single. This is a rollicking single if e'er there was, built on the spine of a churning riff and a bounding sense of momentum. The verses carry themselves with a jubilant kineticism that, for all its punkiness, reminds me of a more blatantly heavy evolution of Witch Cross. This bouncy energy is quite engaging, to say the least, and if you're able to crank this track without involuntarily bobbing your head or stomping your foot, I'm not entirely sure how to help. And, lest ye forget, no Legendarium track is complete without a ripping-yet-tasteful solo. Bottom line? It's a damn strong single. "Caelador, Destroyer" is the kind of no-nonsense heavy metal track that exists and thrives on the basis of its own component parts. No gimmicks required. If you're predisposed to enjoy new Legendarium material, you'll inevitably like this song. If you are unfamiliar, I can only hope that this serves as the portal for further enjoyment. Give "Caelador, Destroyer" a well-deserved listen below, and consider grabbing a copy of that sweet preorder of Death's Hand In Yours prior to release on December 9th. FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: June 17th, 2022 Feat. Void Witch, Trocar, Valley of the Sun, and Inexorum6/17/2022
Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s crumbling gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance. Today is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be--and have been--listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so!
This Friday, Bandcamp is holding their third annual Juneteenth fundraiser, where they donate 100% of their cut of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Win/win! On the docket for today, June 17th, 2022: Void Witch, Trocar, Valley of the Sun, and Inexorum
Written by: The Administrator
Sonic qualities aside, Titanosaur is not a moniker that conjures notions of elegance. The name imparts a certain sense of inevitable weight and destructive force. This we know. The hefty behemoth leaves footprints the size of small craters, and crushes cars in its maw like unto a nutcracker chowing down on a walnut. The music, then, must match the aesthetics of the beast. Rest assured, this one-man hard rock/metal outfit out of Hudson, NY, does just that. Drawing from the venerable likes of Monster Magnet, Red Fang, Motorhead, and Black Sabbath's more overtly rock oriented work, Titanosaur delivers crunchy riffs and gruff hooks with a no-nonsense air and a hard-edged bite. Back in February of this year,I briefly reviewed Titanosaur's excellent Absence of Universe, stating that, besides demonstrating the band's best work to date, the album illustrated a unique "wry self awareness, notably pounding riffage, and thick application of late cretaceous groove." Off the back of that release, we've got some new tunes incoming. I love a band on a roll, and Titanosaur is currently cruising. But enough rambling! We're pleased to present here today "Eater of Death" and its accompanying B-Side "The Time is Now." Hit play on the ol' embed below, sit back, and enjoy! As always, we'll be there to meet ye on the other side. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
The infamous band that manages to pull a slew of opinions every three or so years has come back to continue their evolution. Every Ghost record seems to follow a bit of a theme, or at least weave itself together with a vibe that separates itself from the prior, but stays consistent standing alone. Ahead of releasing Impera, we were given several tracks that sound pretty different, which was an accurate depiction of what was to come. While the mixing of ballads and heavy hitters always went together smoothly, that somewhat changes here. Despite no signs of ditching the catchy or upbeat chorus’s and memorable radio tunage, Ghost took their biggest step towards more progressive writing. That’s not to say you should expect a Dream Theater record, but there are extra theatrics, extra shifts in tonal delivery, and all sorts of fun instrumentation that gives some serious Styx vibes gone dark. Unfortunately, this causes an awkward flow, and a little bit of placement that feels off at times. For the most part, I can overlook that, save for a few moments of going too long, or the unnecessary use of several “interludes.” FRESH MEAT FRIDAY - Feb. 4th, 2022, Feat. Golgothan, Titanosaur, Iōhannēs, and Krystal Swords2/3/2022 On (occasional) Fridays, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s crumbling gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance. Today is the day we must offload all this week's new and noteworthy music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be listening to today at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so! On the docket for today, Feb. 4th, 2022: Golgothan, Titanosaur, Iōhannēs, and Krystal Swords
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 metal-y single I've been spinning all day. Dig in!
Written by: The Administrator
It's a Friday evening here at the Sleeping Village, which means that this particular scribe is ready to cut loose with some loud music, an irresponsibly massive pile of cheap pizza, and some beer(s). Whether or not the night pans out in that exact fashion is yet to be determined, but at least I have the soundtrack sorted. Time, methinks, for some capital-M Metül. On their latest thrash/hard rock/speed metal single, fresh off the press today, TANTIVY delivers no-nonsense abrasivity and enough leather-and-bullet-belted swagger to adequately satisfy any acolyte of the gritty Motörhead ethos and aesthetic. Built on the back of rolling drums and galloping riffs, "Worthy Foe" is a track that is invested in its own forward momentum. It's a rhythmic and boot-stomping affair, with a sense of urgency permeating the whole. The vocals, which notably feel like they were tied to the back of a truck and dragged through the gravel for a good long while, lend the track an intrinsic gruffness and toughness. Despite the deliberate rough-n-tumble approach, "Worthy Foe" feels like a refinement on the template they established on 2021's Eyes if the Night, and points in a very promising direction for anyone invested in hard rockin' heavy metal. It's a single that practically demands a larger project to call home. I'm excited to hear what this crew cooks up next.  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. |
WELCOME!We provide thoughtful reviews of music that wakes us from slumber. Written by a highfalutin peasantry. Archives
February 2023
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed