Written by: The Administrator
Long before our eventual love for the brutality and extremity of the far reaches of the metalverse, we slumbering scribes were infatuated with the more primordial stuff. A certain affinity for the fuzz-laden riff-centric rock of olde abounds, and so when the opportunity arose to premiere a track from Brooklyn's Grandpa Jack, we leapt at the chance. This power trio is dropping a new album--entitled Grits--on July 29th via Lost Moon Records. Today's song in question, the stellar "Once Bitten," serves as the debut single. It's a killer track, as ye shall soon witness, and certainly whets my appetite for the remainder of the album's bounty. But! Before my self-indulgent chatter inevitably scares you off: please check out "Once Bitten" below! We'll meet ye on the other side.
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Written by: The Administrator
Our council of shadowy and ink-splattered scribes have decreed the following: Wednesdays are for epic progressive opuses. Or at least...that's what this Wednesday is for. Next week may very well deliver something entirely different, but that's to be expected. We're a fickle crew, after all. In any case, today is for epic progressive opuses. Thankfully, Dallas' own Onward We March was kind enough to approach us with a track for premiere, and what a track it is: a 17-minute-and-change odyssey through the necromantic gates of Hades. "Nekromanteion" is a track that bears the weight of its breadth quite well, delivering both in terms of narrative intrigue and gloriously engaging composition. Without further ado, check out "Nekromanteion" below! Sink into its expansive environs. As always, we'll meet ye on the other side. 
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: The Administrator
If you, dear reader, have A. frequented our humble halls with some regularity, and B., have a remarkably keen memory, you may recall prior coverage/adoration of one Rick Massie. Over the past few years, this one-man outfit from the wilds of the Yukon consistently presents a healthy blend of rock, prog, and metal, whether in the form of an ode to Halloween, a foreboding single, or across the breadth of an expansive album. Each Rick Massie moment features a very different sonic and aesthetic backdrop, but the intentionality and sheer quality remains consistent. For further proof, look no further than today's track in question, a largely faithful cover of the mighty Opeth's "The Moor." It officially comes out on May 20th, but until then, you can listen to your heart's content at ye olde Sleeping Village. Check it out below! As always, we'll meet ye on the other side. 
Written by: Chuck
“How did we get here” is the question I often asked myself when listening to The Human Exemplar, the superb third release from Massachusetts’s post/progressive band Warm. It’s not that I suddenly lost my grip on reality, rather, the band was just extremely adept at transitioning seamlessly through multiple complimentary styles in a way that allowed me to drift along without questioning the conviction of their direction. Indeed, the appeal was that throughout the entire album each stylistic reference felt deeply authentic. From the heavy grunge syrup, the stoner riffs, the long progressive instrumental sections, the “post” feel to it, and even the occasional Neurosis-worship, it all feels right and it all rings true. Throughout all of it, the band never strays too far in any one direction, or stays too long before confidently pulling the themes together and moving along. This all got me super stoked to be able to premier their track "Time & Blood" off their new album The Phos Nimitta. Listen below! 
Almost a year ago, Desolation Plains' fantastic Sword of Hailstorm was drafted into service as the focal point for our inaugural INTO THE DUNGEON column. Due exclusively to, well, my own laziness, this proved to be the only entry in said series. In retrospect, that's a damn shame, considering how many stellar exemplars of the genre I checked out exclusively on the basis of really fuckin' enjoying Sword of Hailstorm. I listen to it frequently to this day.
Needless to say, I'm pleased and honored to present here today a new track from Desolation Plains' forthcoming Kingdomfall. Check it out below! As always, we'll meet ye on the other side. 
In what must come as a bit of a shock, I enjoy (and indeed seek out) music that feels fresh, and unusual, and patently weird. Given this proclivity, a premiere request from Euphoriadic Studios hitting the inbox inevitably bodes well. I'm comfortable stating that today's artist in question offers a potent blend wholly unlike anything I've ever heard before, and that alone is enough to get the ol' heart a-pounding. Listening to a bat eating her wings by New Jersey's own short term memory loss is a jarring and electrifying experience. Needless to say, we are excited and honored to present said experience to our unexpecting readership.
But. Before I vomit forth a grotesque collection of adjectives and scare you all away, please give a bat eating her wings a well-deserved listen below. As always, we'll meet ye on the other side! 
Greetings, dear adventurer! If you, like I, spend entirely too music time traipsing the hallowed halls of metal twitter, you are undoubtedly familiar with the work, wit, and glorious flowing locks of one Laurence Kerbov, the face of Legendarium.
If you aren't familiar, prepare to get acquainted real damn quick. Legendarium plays heavy metal for heartfelt fans of heavy metal. In other words, this two-man crew reliably delivers the expected sonic goods alongside a jubilantly old-school ethos. Their projects never shy away from the overtly nerdy fascinations of yore--sword and sorcery is a common theme, and the profoundly epic nature of his influences shine through across every album released thusfar. As I wrote in regards to 2020's Reign in Repose, "Legendarium plays good ol' heavy metal with a healthy tinge of jubilant punky bounce...a highly melodic affair, with an emphasis on fun riffage, triumphant solos, and narrative cohesion." The forthcoming Under the Spell of Destruction, out this Friday, mirrors yet improves upon this winning formula in every way, resulting in an album that demonstrates a consistent evolution in both technical proficiency and compelling songcraft. We're honored and pleased to present here today the excellent title track. Give it a listen below, and, as always, we'll meet ye on the other side!  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. 
And now for something completely different!
Welcome, dear readers, to a long-overdue edition of a regrettably infrequent segment we like to call "Is it metal? Who cares?" It's the part of the show where we openly admit that everyone likes different types of music, and thereby acknowledge that pigeonholing one's listening habits is nothing more than an exercise in stagnation. Indeed, while we do often focus the limelight on loud and/or angry music, this particular population of slumbering scribes knows a thing or two about enjoying a well-crafted and otherwise highly listenable tune. Case in point: the latest single from Oakland-based solo artist James Utterback, who has been finely crafting a debut indie/psych/prog/surf rock album for the better part of 15 years under the Fire Whale moniker. "Serenity Within Chaos" has been on heavy repeat 'round these parts for the better part of a month, and we're honored to share it with you here today. Give it a listen below, and, as always, we'll catch ye on the other side! |
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