Written by: Brooklyn Artemis
British summertime is the perfect time for sludge metal. The air is breezeless and humid, pressing downwards, cooking us in our homes and office cubicles. Flying ants mass at our windows, horde-like, a many-legged Great Heathen Army swarming over dying grass and melting bitumen. Government officials at every level are acting like proper bastards, though this is a less seasonal thing than one would hope for. It is in these oppressive climes that I revisited a growing back catalogue of modern UK sludge. The likes of Mastiff (a contributor to the Cyberpunk OST) and Swamp Coffin, both with excellent full length releases last year, have been fixtures of my listening recently. But another band I saw live a few years ago above a record shop in Sheffield also caught my attention during my heat-addled odyssey--Stockport’s Under. Appropriately for a band whose own Instagram describes them as a ‘tentacle K-hole nightmare’, there’s some interesting stuff going on in Under’s discography. The trio, formed in 2015, have released a series of EPs, splits, and full lengths that have honed a unique brand of progressive and at times psychedelic sludge. Musically, Under often swing between extremes, switching from slower and heavier riffs to quicker sections that display sludge’s hardcore influence, while incorporating a mix of almost soft cleans, high screams, and shouted vocals. Training Resource #5 (the band’s fifth release) was released in November 2020, just before the beginning of the second COVID lockdown in the UK, and I can remember that you could almost taste the resignation to what was to come on the air. The art of the EP, which is up there with the most unique metal album covers around, actually reminds me of that time, of that bizarre online academic and corporate culture that emerged during the pandemic, and never really went away.
0 Comments
Written by: The Administrator
A glorious thing happened about two minutes and 15 seconds into "Fuzzy Txitxu," the first track off the self-titled new album from Lisbon's Desert'Smoke. After lazily scanning the promo email, I had fully intended to let some instrumental stoner psychedelia run in the background as I worked through a hefty pile of admin tasks. And things did start off predictably, with a mellow intro establishing mellow ambience. But plans were thwarted as the track...erupted. There was absolutely nothing about those spaced-out leads squirming over that rip-roaring riff that qualified as background music. Desert'Smoke were proving unexpectedly engaging. Enthralling, even. As much as I tried to focus on the task at hand, the music made it impossible. And so I focused on the music instead. Rest in peace, productivity. Good riddance. 
Written by: The Administrator
Sometimes, the album cover tells you all you really need to know. And if we're being honest, "sometimes" becomes "frequently" when we're dealing with the comfortably miasmic realm of stoner doom aesthetics. So. Prior to hitting play, there was no doubt in my mind what War On Drugs by Mexican duo High Grind was going to sound like. Smog-thick riffs. Phlegmy vocals. A little swirling psychedelia. It was frankly quite inevitable that I would enjoy the soundtrack accompanying this weed demon bacta tank imagery. I'm pleased to report that I do very much enjoy War On Drugs. It does absolutely nothing new, but when it comes to stoner doom, I'm generally quite happy with a band that sticks to the bulletproof established formula. Give me mammothian riffs that lurch about like--to quote Rolling Stone's 1972 review of Black Sabbath's Vol. 4--a "giant prehistoric plant learning how to walk." Give me indistinguishable lyrics via throaty howls wrenched from the sludge. Give me stupored groove and the warm embrace of fuzz. Honestly, every track here is a good example of what High Grind offer, but check out the embedded "La Guerra Contra las Drogas" below for some particularly downtrodden riffage. 
Written by: The Administrator
I'm no expert, but I'm fairly certain it is impossible to look at this album cover and imagine it attached to anything other than some comically distorted and trippy psychedelia. Y'know, the good stuff. Terra is the debut album from Acid Arno, a self-described "loud trio" out of Berlin, and the three track contained within do not disappoint when it comes to rich fuzz and expansive acidic leads. I'm in love with this poetic and extremely apt description lifted from their promo material: Terra combines "layers of bowing deep fuzzes, lysergic delays supported by stone primal percussiveness set down in a dilated dark-trip composition." If that isn't enough, their bandcamp description states that they are "grounded to space." And yeah. I couldn't agree more. All of this is exceedingly accurate. Well said. 
Written by: The Administrator
If you're the type to lurk around the metal underground, you've likely heard of Ampwall, a new music platform/marketplace/community founded by Chris Grigg of Woe. Ampwall is a public benefit company explicitly designed by artists for artists, and their clear commitment to empowering independent bands is both rare and admirable in a world of music platforms that prioritize profit time and time again. Since joining when the beta launched a few weeks back, I've seen a variety of artist suggestions taken seriously and changes administered in real time. The community they've built over on Discord is friendly and robust, full of people who are clearly in this for the love of the music. The financial upsides are also immediately apparent: they operate on a very low-cost subscription model if you plan to upload music, and sellers make more per transaction. There's even an option for buyers to cover the transactions fees, a feature that feels so common sense I'm shocked it isn't industry standard. The pages are true showcases with an emphasis on aesthetic, and contain a very handy Press section where artists can link to reviews. The features are numerous and honestly make every other platform feel...remarkably antiquated. You can tell that this was built by musicians who understand what DIY tools are actually useful. Long story short: Ampwall is an alternative that deserves full attention, especially in an era of enshittification where even platforms like Bandcamp are bought and sold by corporations with zero regard for the artists who bring the value. You can read more about Ampwall over on their mission page, and you can sign up for beta access (as a fan or an artist!)here. And! In an attempt to shine a little light, we slumbering scribes are hereby instituting a new column wherein we trawl Ampwall for cool music and, y'know, write about it. Below are 6 bands I highly recommend checking out. Let's get this started, shall we?  Written by: The Administrator
Given an interest in both cryptids and excellent music, I am a proud Mothman and the Thunderbirds fanboy. Ever since hearing and subsequently reviewing the crisply remastered version of "Simpson = Real Footage," one of my favorite tracks from 2021's debut Into the Hollow, I've been dying for news of a follow-up album. Into The Hollow presented a near-endlessly intriguing and eclectic weirdo blend of prog and sludge, but over time, Alex Parkinson has increasingly leaned into more infectiously poppy songwriting and production that feels lush and oh-so clean. The latter comes from Egor Lappo, who has polished away sludgy scuzz to exceptional results. The weirdness remains, however, and in the latest stage of evolution, the band labels their blend of "adventurous prog, thrilling hard rock, and dreamy psychedelia" as "dream metal." I'll be damned if that isn't a damn fine descriptor. Which brings us, conveniently enough, to today's premiere. Mothman and the Thunderbirds will be releasing the intensely enjoyable Portal Hopper on July 12th. We're honored to present here the lead single and album opener "Ruby Skies." Check it out below via the bombastic lyric video, and, as always, we'll await your arrival on the other side! 
Written by: The Administrator
Prepare yourself, dear reader, for some stoner doom. Some lumbering stoner doom. Some lumbering mammothian stoner doom. Some lumbering mammothian psychedelic stoner doom. Some lumbering mammothian psychedelic groove-laden fuzzy megafaunic stoner doom. Some... Anyways, that's what we're dealing with here. Acid Mammoth are back for a fourth round in the ol' riff arena, Supersonic Megafauna Collision as their champion. If you're familiar with this crew's past work, you know the score. Acid Mammoth are, in my book, one of the premiere stoner doom bands active today. They are consistent, colorful, and make music that doesn't get bogged down in its own aura and atmosphere. The riffs are repetitive yet groovy and classically hooky, and the songwriting is intriguing enough to leave room for a little psych meandering without losing the thread too entirely. While I personally enjoy the vocal tone and find it to contrast nicely with the fuzzed out heft, I can see the vocals being a sticking point for some--they embrace a whining reediness. I've seen complaints that the album doesn't provide enough variation, and while the general scope of the album is pretty well established by the second track, we're not exactly here for innovation. If you're inclined to be bored by long-form psychedelic doom, this won't change your mind on the genre, particularly as the album approaches the tail end. But! Supersonic Megafauna Collision isn't about innovation--it is about the charming and quality reproduction of a formula that has been proven to work exceptionally well. I consider this the band's best work yet. If you're on the hunt for that good ol' lumbering mammothian psychedelic groove-laden fuzzy megafaunic stoner doom, Acid Mammoth will do nicely. Acid Mammoth - Supersonic Megafauna Collision was released April 5th, 2024 via Heavy Psych Sounds. Find it here!
The Sleeping Village has been around for a few years now, and during that time, a lot of reviews have unceremoniously disappeared into the dark confines of our archives, destined to never see the light of the front page again. Music appreciation, however, is a timeless affair, and in that spirit, here is a review retrieved from the deep dark depths.
Written by: The Administrator (originally published July 6th, 2019)
Sometimes a band has a almost-but-not-quite grand debut, the kind of album that bears the weight of rookie flaws, but speaks of something larger to come. And then, sometimes, said band delivers tenfold on their next outing, absolutely shattering notions of sophomore slump. And sometimes the groggy-eyed scribe who said he'd review the album in a timely manner spends two months mulling over how best to put his enamorment into words. And that lands us here, with Wolf Blood’s II spinning for what seems the umpteenth time. Wolf Blood is one of those bands who revel in throwing a bevy of ideas at the wall and hoping they stick. Unlike most who engage in such reckless activity, these folks are really damn good at making sure it all stays up there. It’s purely original stuff, and in this business, that's a significant and rare quality.
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 a fun and rockin' single I've had on repeat as of late!
Written by: The Administrator
Well, here I am, preliminarily getting hyped for the (hopefully?!) forthcoming sophomore album from Vexing Hex, one of my personal favorite Wise Blood Records affiliates. After re-releasing the excellent Haunt (see our review here!) as well as the spooky standalone single "Red Harvest" in 2020, these Illinoisan occult rockers have been pretty damn quiet. Needless to say, I was very excited to see the name pop back up on the ol' timeline, and even more excited to see that there was a shiny new single awaiting on Bandcamp. "Into the Night" is a great track, and has comfortably occupied rotation here at the Sleeping Village since release. A perfect candidate, methinks, for a pre-weekend mini-review. Let's dive in! In one convenient package, "Into the Night" delivers all of the elements that made Vexing Hex initially stand out in a crowded field. Much like Ghost, they sit comfortably in the goth/psych rock arena while embracing a fundamental pop stickiness. As such, "Into The Night" occupies a notably enjoyable space--aesthetically macabre, yet notably upbeat and cheery. The chorus is catchy as all hell, a true earworm and a borderline radio-friendly singalong if only it were released in another era. The spooky gothic vibes are overt and tantalizingly campy. The guitar is bouncy and exciting, and a sly psychedelic current runs through the whole affair. There's little embellishments that add to the general fun--take, as a prime example, the little chimes or the subtly celebratory horns that sneak in at the tail end of the track. All told, this is a highly entertaining and highly replayable tune. Yeah, I'm sold. "Into The Night" achieves all that an advance single should. If this serves as a harbinger for things to come on Vexing Hex's next album, we're inevitably in for something good. Vexing Hex - "Into the Night" was released March 8th, 2024. Find it here! ON THE HORIZON: Madame Frankenstein - The Eyes Of The Mountain Are Mine (Brazilian Stoner Doom)1/3/2024 
Written by: The Administrator
Given our newfound sense of productivity here at our humble slumbering township, it is high time, methinks, to bring back a frequently forgotten Sleeping Village feature. That's right, dear reader. It's time once more for On The Horizon. Not a review per se, nor an album announcement, but rather a third secret thing that lurks awkwardly betwixt the two. Today, we gaze towards what appears to be the second full length from Brazilian stoned doomsters Madame Frankenstein. I heard (and quite enjoyed) their debut album released last year, which served as a collection of loose singles and EPs dropped throughout 2023. The bluntly entitled Doom brought a familiar fuzzy approach alongside some thin and filtered vocals that served well to exemplify the detached psychedelic vibe. The general aesthetic presented in their cover artwork across the album and singles was quite nice as well. Doom demonstrated some notable promise in a subgenre that has no shortage of fresh blood, but regrettably seemed to have missed the press circuit--I was a little surprised to see so few folks in the stoner doom scene talking about Madame Frankenstein. In any case, February of this year will see the release of a new six track project entitled The Eyes Of The Mountain Are Mine. I'm hopeful for a little more deserved fanfare this time around. |
WELCOME!We provide thoughtful reviews of the music that wakes us from slumber. Archives
October 2025
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed