Written by: Blackie Skulless
Philadelphia's very own Crypt Sermon aren’t really anything new these days, and with only three albums stretched across nearly ten years, you can tell a lot went into all of them. While the band has always been something I’ve acknowledged as pretty solid, they never did anything exponential for me. That is, until now. The Ruins Of Fading Light took the doom metal world by storm five years ago, but The Stygian Rose took me by storm this year. Formulaically speaking, the band hasn’t undergone any serious changes between records, putting emphasis on the “epic” in epic doom metal for years. Our latest outing stays pretty true to this label, however this is the one that absolutely finished off what I previously acknowledged as kinda cool into something truly immaculate. The themes around religion and medieval occult haven’t gone away, either. So what’s the big deal? Perhaps I’m biased, but I think it boils down to a few things. I think that The Stygian Rose put more force behind the vocal passages, sped up more of the innards, and offered some tonal expressions that assault the listener in a way that previous records didn’t do to me. Certain guitar passages feel like they could fit into a speed metal song despite their crushing doom metal weight, and the way it flows so naturally is beautiful. Moreover, there’s a clearer aura to the vocals that remain clean, mostly avoiding anything harsh save for some rasp, yet they carry more conviction than what I find in a lot of extreme metal. Packing this into six long tunes makes for a muscular narrative that would almost feel overwhelming if things weren’t placed so wonderfully.
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Written by: Blackie Skulless
Considering how much I loved the debut album by Indianapolis’s very own Vexing Hex, you can imagine my excitement upon hearing they’ve finally cooked up a follow up. Haunt was very much a spooky doom metal-meets-psychedelic/classic rock outing that often finds itself compared to the likes of Ghost. Now we get Solve Et Coagula hitting the surface several years later. The same stylistic grounding is very much present, but I’m glad to say it’s also derivative. Mainly, the slower, doom-cladded riffing is a little more relaxed here in exchange for more blatant rock ‘n roll numbers that have a poppy front. Layers upon layers of synth and effect make themselves even more known, without compromising the tight riffs the band has long since built itself on. Moreover, the bass is more present than ever, enforcing an aggressive bottom as well as playing an important role in the rhythm itself. The outcome is quite literally a mix of songs that almost feel metal oriented, and straight up radio tunes.
Curated and Written by: David Frazer of Cruce Signatus
In an attempt to give some cool bands a platform to talk about cool music, we're trying something new here at Ye Olde Sleeping Village. Each Wednesday henceforth, a band will be taking over the blog to share a curated playlist, along with some words about each song and why they picked it. First up is Cruce Signatus, a new project from Milwaukee based multi-instrumentalist David Frazer, who you might previously know from (the excellent!) Pillaging Villagers. Blending heavy metal, cinematic compositions, and synthwave, the self-titled Cruce Signatus debut was released on June 7th, and can be found here! Without further ado, I'll let David take over. Enjoy!
In this list below, I tried to choose songs from albums that were highly influential on my creative process for Cruce Signatus, listed in descending order of influence. There were many albums that were influential for me, but these represent the top 10.
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Given the hype that’s been circulating around Tyran in the realm of traditional metal dweebs like myself, I was certainly eager to check them out. The appealing album artwork spurred that on even more, making me want to lend an ear immediately. Not to be confused with Iran’s capital city Tehran, the Bavarian dudes have only been around for a few years, and 2024 would see the year they drop a full-length. Following two singles, it realized itself in the form of Tyran’s Oath. At first glance, you’ll find exactly what one would expect. Speed metal riffing, high falsettos in the realm of King Diamond, and a generally clean overlay can easily sum up the entire album in the most basic sense. What’s less obvious is that most of the record avoids the mythical, magical, or historical angle you may anticipate, and prefers to focus on classic ‘80s strong-man themes around heavy metal and machinery. Stylistically, it’s also straight to the point without any hints of power metal or epic metal flavoring. Most changes in any dynamic are as simple as some songs slowing it down a little, like in “Thrill Of The Chase,” a melody-heavy tune. Written by: Blackie Skulless Seeing that ol’ Bruce hasn’t put out a solo effort since 2005, and that the latest Iron Maiden record didn’t exactly blow me away, I was a little unsure of what to expect from The Mandrake Project. As time passes on and veteran musicians struggle to keep the capacity going, it often tends to fall into the “hit or miss” category. But, more often than not, more time between records will work to your advantage. Bruce Dickinson further solidified this idea, as his latest effort truly did blow me away. The Mandrake Project is a culmination of many things not too unordinary for the British frontman, meaning its magic doesn’t rest in anything new. Rather, this is an exceptional exercise of tactics that he had mastered between his own career and his several decades in Iron Maiden alike. Modern production values with deep distortion on the riffing works entirely to this album’s advantage, all the while sneaking in a hefty amount of raw emotion and beautiful story-telling. Writing a record that focuses on only one of these properly is impressive, let alone all of them.
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Leave it to Trevor to take me out of review retirement, huh. Year after year, I have found myself writing (at least) a review for Haunt annually. Anybody who has followed me knows how much I love everything from Mind Freeze and before, and how much I love different things about each following record without my mind needing to be blown. Well, I guess Dreamers is the one to break that trend, because boy do things actually take a turn here! Not to say that Haunt has stepped away from the heavy metal genre, but this is the most significant deviation from their classic core that we’ve gotten thus far. Rather than being another cut of stripped-down traditional metal with mildly varying toppings, this lifts up different layers to take the forefront. Strangely, the vocals and guitars swap taking a backseat despite still being a vital ingredient, depending on the track. The drum clashes pop harder than ever, and the synths feel like a tool to cast a mistier atmosphere rather than being another outlet for melody like on former records. Written by: Crypt Tender Another edition of ON THE HORIZON? The fact that this oft-forgotten segment is experiencing a sudden limelight indicates that A. there is a lot of good music in the pipeline, and B. we inhabitants of the Sleeping Village have tapped into a mystic pool of motivation, becoming, I can only imagine, annoyingly prolific in the process. We have a strict policy that any crypt-related items are sent directly to me, the illustrious and revered Crypt Tender [break for polite applause, sounds of fearful admiration]. As such, the entities that oversee the promo pit have gifted me this release announcement and accompanying lead single from heavy metal doomsters Crypt Sermon. I haven't yet had the pleasure of drinking deep of the forthcoming The Stygian Rose, out June 14th from Dark Descent Records, but I have played "Heavy Is The Crown of Bone" no fewer than ten times since receiving. Which, if we're being honest, makes me a bit of an expert on the matter.
In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish short reviews at a greater frequency, thereby shining our very small spotlight on more cool shit. Here's a mini-review of the debut single from a symphonic metal duo.
Written by: The Administrator
As of late, the ol' promo pit has been overflowing with debut singles from brand new bands. Luckily, writing about them has become a bit of a calling card 'round these parts. As established over the course of several recent mini-reviews--Negative Bliss and Slaughtersun, for those curious enough to dive into the archives--the birth of a band is a pretty exciting event. In the course of promo hunting, I'm often more motivated to check out something new and unknown than a press kit from an established act. Such curiosity has led me to "The Last Ember," a promising debut track from fresh-faced symphonic metal act Elsewhere. The band is a duo comprised of one Nikki and Nic, and the track's vocals come courtesy of a collaboration with Finnish-Canadian vocalist Elvann. While requisite piano and swelling hooks are present, Elsewhere's instrumentation seems more subtle in its bombast than many other paragons of the genre. There's a nice forward momentum punctuated by an engaging ebb and flow--the percussion fills space quite well, with short albeit catchy riffs and requisite orchestral grandiosity punctuating the track. Elsewhere keep things moving nicely, and as a result, the track flies by. Symphonic metal haters aren't going to be swayed, but appreciators of the style will appreciate the execution. On the vocal side, Elvann's presence is prominent and notably agile, switching flows multiple times across the breadth. The intro utilizes a sinister whispered delivery that immediately amps up the drama, but is promptly abandoned for more traditional symphonic cleans. While I do wish the more menacing vocals made a return later on, the initial switch provides a fun contrast. One particularly charming moment on the back half of the track introduces a sing-song chanted cadence that adds an almost childlike element. The attention given to distinct vocal deliveries is thoroughly alluring. Promo material indicates that "The Last Ember" is the "first of many singles to be released in 2024." I, for one, will be keeping an eye out for what comes next--I'm psyched to see how Elsewhere develop their sound and identity. More guest vocalists? More overt power metal braggadocio? Time will tell. In the meantime, give a listen below! Elsewhere - "The Last Ember" was released March 8th, 2024. Written by: Sabrina TVBand It’s about time I put my cards on the table; I’m not a big fan of Bruce Dickinson. I have an appreciation for many Dickinson Iron Maiden songs, but like Klaus Meine I find that Dickinson has a voice that becomes grating after a few minutes. He also has an aggressive and very British nerdy goofball energy. I realize I’m mostly alone in having this opinion, but I stand by it. The Di’Anno years of Iron Maiden have been overshadowed by the subsequent Dickinson years in a big way, but Iron Maiden’s self-titled debut is still one of their stronger albums. Di’Anno is known for being a more limited vocalist than Dickinson, but within that limited range I find his voice to be a lot more enjoyable. |
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