Let’s embark on a bitterly cold journey together with a new Sludge and Doom Metal band from Arkansas to the sound of their debut opus, a concept record about a primitive nomad chasing a baby mammoth from the herd.
Hailing from Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas, in the United States, the up-and-coming Sludge/Doom Metal trio Mammoth Caravan is unleashing upon humanity their bitterly cold and grim debut opus, entitled Ice Cold Oblivion, a concept record about a primitive nomad chasing a baby mammoth from the herd. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Jason Tedford at Wolfman Studios, and displaying a sinister artwork by the band’s own drummer Robert Warner, Ice Cold Oblivion will smash your head with the power of the riff, masterfully brought into being by the aforementioned Robert Warner alongside vocalist and bassist Brandon Ringo and guitarist Evan Swift, being therefore recommended for admirers of the dirtiest side of Sludge, Stoner and Doom Metal.
Get ready for a heavy and thunderous Sludge and Stoner Metal voyage in the title-track Ice Cold Oblivion, with the dirty bass by Brandon complementing the massive, sluggish beats by Robert in great fashion, whereas featuring guest vocals from Mat Johnson of Second Life, Evan extracts sheer heaviness form his riffs in Nomad, a lecture in contemporary Doom Metal perfect for headbanging like a true metal bastard. Then a pensive, melancholic start gradually evolves into another Sludge Metal aria entitled Petroglyphs, where Brandon and Evan are in a Stygian sync armed with their stringed axes, not to mention how deep and evil the roars by Brandon sound and feel; and the rawness and obscurity of Evan’s riffs will keep haunting your soul in the instrumental Megafauna, while Robert dictates the song’s venomous pace with his hammering drums in another solid and thrilling explosion of Sludge and Doom Metal for the masses. The tribalistic beats by Robert ignite their second to last blast of obscurity titled Periglacial, with Brandon and Evan quickly joining him with their respective bass lines and riffage, while also presenting Ghost-like vocals by Brandon, and lastly the trio offers our putrid ears almost 11 minutes of sluggish beats, dirty rockin’ guitars and low-tuned bass jabs in Frostbite, very detailed and electrifying from the very first second, with the music being mesmerizing, rich and demonic until the very end, therefore putting a climatic conclusion to the album.
In case you’re eager to put your hands on such solid feast of doom, you can purchase Ice Cold Oblivion from the band’s own BandCamp page, from Apple Music or from Amazon, and don’t forget to also give the guys from Mammoth Caravan a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream their album in full on Spotify. In summary, Ice Cold Oblivion has everything you can ask for in a Sludge and Doom Metal album, taking you on a bitterly cold, grim journey that will leave you eager for more of the music by this talented American trio in the coming years.
Embark on a journey through a dark wasteland infested with oozing swamps, sludge and filth by a sinister Doom Metal trio hailing from Denmark.
Formed in 2022 in Aarhus, Denmark by Andreas Cadaver of Stone Cadaver on guitars, bass and keys, Mikael Rise of Scamp on vocals, and Dennis Larsen, formerly of Olm, on drums, the newborn Doom Metal beast Dread Witch is ready to kill armed with their debut effort, entitled Tower of the Severed Serpent, offering sheer doom for the doomed as the end times are upon us all. Mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen (Meshuggah, Heaven Shall Burn), with drums recorded and engineered by Ole Madsen and additional drum engineering by Kasper Sørensen, and displaying a sinister artwork by Branca Studio, Tower of the Severed Serpent invites us all to embark on a journey through a dark wasteland infested with oozing swamps, sludge and filth, attacking us with a massive doom sound boasting thick layers of low-tuned guitars, distorted bass, meditative ambient textures and insane vocals recommended for fans of Conan, With the Dead, Triptykon and Devin Townsend, among others.
The sound of the howling winds warns us all a Doom Metal attack is about to begin in The Tower, with Andreas distilling his Black Sabbath-infused riffs while Mikael roars the song’s obscure words manically (“Cracks lining the inside / Just like / Hoary, porous bone / I wander on my own / Alone / On ice so very thin / As reason’s lowered in / Within / Lowered in to drown”) and Dennis smashes our heads with his pounding beats, whereas the already dirty riffage by Andreas gets even dirtier and more sinister in Serpent God, another infernal composition by the trio exhaling sheer heaviness and doom. Moreover, the vociferations by Mikael will demonically pierce your mind and darken your soul, while Dennis once again dictates the pace with his drums, walking hand in hand with Andreas’ stringed axe. And investing in a sonority clearly inspired by the one and only Triptykon, the trio fires the menacing, spine-chilling extravaganza Leech, where Mikael bursts his lungs screaming like a beast in a lecture in classic Doom Metal.
In Wormtongue, more of their psychological lyrics are declaimed by Mikael (“My life is a war / I’m battered and worn down / Look into my eyes / And you will see nothing / Bereft of life I’ll fall / Into a slumber so soothing”) while Andreas and Dennis generate a thunderous atmosphere with their low-tuned, cryptic bass lines and crushing beats; and Dennis never gets tired of hammering his drums, which adds tons of heaviness to Into the Crypt, their second to last explosion of Doom Metal also presenting elements of the most unfriendly form of Stoner Rock and Metal, all boosted by the song’s eerie background vocalizations and grim atmosphere. Lastly, the band shows absolutely no mercy for our souls in the instrumental closing tune Severed, beginning in a melancholic way before morphing into a neck-breaking, lugubrious musicality that will drag you into pitch black darkness until its epic ending.
The guys form Dread Witch are waiting for you inside their Stygian coven on Facebook and on Instagram with news, more of their music and so on, and if you want to show them your utmost support and join the dark side of doom you can purchase their debut album by clicking HERE. After all is said and done, your soul will certainly become darker as you feel the blood seeping from a sky blackened by the funeral pyre of mankind, thanks to the amazing job done by those Danish metallers in their infernal debut album. In other words, simply succumb to the other side, and pledge allegiance to the venomous Dread Witch!
Best moments of the album:Serpent God and Leech.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Bottomless Pit/Gateway Music
Track listing 1. The Tower 8:30
2. Serpent God 7:52
3. Leech 6:17
4. Wormtongue 6:10
5. Into the Crypt 5:40
6. Severed 4:48
Band members
Mikael Rise – vocals
Andreas Cadaver – guitar, bass, keys
Dennis Larsen – drums
Leifur Nielsen – bass*
Pelle Santana – lead guitar*
*Leifur Nielsen and Pelle Santana joined the band after the recording of the album, and therefore did not perform in it.
An impressive and memorable collection of songs that aims to fill each air particle with fire, fuzz and power by an up-and-coming Swedish Heavy Rock outfit.
Forged in 2019 in the fires of Sundsvall, a city and the seat of Sundsvall Municipality in Västernorrland County, Sweden, the Heavy Rock quartet that goes by the name of Tidal Wave is ready to crush our souls with their new album The Lord Knows, drawing from a fertile wellspring of influences including classic bands like Black Sabbath, Nirvana, and Audioslave. Comprised of Alexander ‘Sunkan’ Sundqvist on vocals, Jesper ‘Jerpo’ Sjödin on the guitars, Adam ‘Aden’ Nordin on bass, and Rasmus ‘Raz’ Sundberg on drums, Tidal Wave offer us all in their new album an impressive and memorable collection of songs that aims to fill each air particle with fire, fuzz and power, delivering epic solos for ages and mind-blowing vocals and, therefore, carving their names in the Swedish Heavy and Stoner Rock scene.
The dirty bass by Adam and the groovy riffage by Jesper kick off the rockin’ tune Lizard King, perfect for hitting the road due to its Heavy Rock sound with hints of Stoner and Sludge Metal, not to mention how powerful the vocals by Alexander sound. Then it’s pedal to the metal because it’s time for a Rock N’ Roll party titled End of the Line, a fast and electrifying tune showcasing an amazing job done by Rasmus on drums while Jesper keeps slashing our ears with his old school riffs; followed by Marijuana Trench, bringing forward six minutes of an acid musical trip for the masses. Needless to say, Alexander keeps kicking ass on vocals supported by the rumbling bass by Adam. And the band invests into an almost pure Stoner Metal sound in Pentagram, reminding me of giants of the genre such as Black Sabbath, Candlemass and Pentagram, with Rasmus dictating the song’s obscure pace with his sluggish beats.
Let’s bang our heads like there’s no tomorrow to the sound of Robbero Bobbero, sounding visceral and thrilling form start to finish with Alexander taking the lead with his sick vocals, while Jesper and Adam deliver a raw stringed attack for our total delight. Rasmus ignites another one of the band’s Heavy Rock onrush in By Order of the King, which despite starting as the soundtrack to an action movie car chase, it loses its punch after a while; whereas enhancing their heaviness to a whole new level they offer our avid ears the sinister, melancholic and grim Purple Bird, with Alexander once again stealing the show with his passionate vocal performance. And last but not least, it’s time for one final Heavy Rock tune infused with acid titled Thorsakir, again presenting the band’s trademark guitar dirtiness and doomed beats and with Adam being on fire armed with his bass, bringing groove and thunder to the music.
If you want to drown under the majestic waves of Heavy Rock crafted by those Swedish rockers, you can find all details about them on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also stream their creations on YouTube and on Spotify, or simply click HERE for all things Tidal Wave. The excellent The Lord Knows, available for purchase from Ripple Music’s BandCamp page, webstore or Big Cartel (as a CD or as a deluxe vinyl edition), sets the bar high for Tidal Wave in their upcoming releases, living up to the legacy of Scandinavian Heavy Rock and, consequently, adding even more fuel to the band’s tank to keep on rockin’ in our free world.
Best moments of the album:End of the Line, Marijuana Trench and Robbero Bobbero.
Worst moments of the album:By Order of the King.
Released in 2023 Ripple Music
Track listing 1. Lizard King 4:08
2. End of the Line 3:34
3. Marijuana Trench 6:29
4. Pentagram 5:45
5. Robbero Bobbero 4:39
6. By Order of the King 5:38
7. Purple Bird 5:07
8. Thorsakir 5:57
Band members
Alexander ‘Sunkan’ Sundqvist – vocals
Jesper ‘Jerpo’ Sjödin – guitar
Adam ‘Aden’ Nordin – bass
Rasmus ‘Raz’ Sundberg – drums
A Melodic Death and Doom Metal one-man band from Armenia is ready to conquer all to the sound of his newborn beast, dealing with insanity, nightmares, powerlessness, corruption and loss.
Formed in 2016 in Yerevan, the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, by vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Artak Karapetyan, the thrilling Melodic Doom/Death Metal one-man act Eternally Scarred has been combining slower tempos with faster, melodic guitars and a raw, dirty production since their 2017 debut effort …of Wisdom, and that’s also the case with Artak’s newborn beast, titled Echoes From Beneath. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Artak himself, and displaying a sinister artwork by Vladimir Prokofiev from Paint-It-Black Design, Echoes From Beneath depicts an amalgamation of subjects such as insanity, nightmares, powerlessness, corruption, loss, coping with all aforementioned topics, or being overcome by them, all embraced by the multi-layered, bold music brought into being by this lone wolf from Armenia.
The opening tune Deviance begins in a very atmospheric and pensive manner, with the minimalist sounds by Artak growing in intensity until his riffs enfold us all in a Doom and Death Metal musicality, with his vociferations bringing even more obscurity to the song. Then leaning towards the music played by bands the likes of Insomnium, Artak slashes his guitar and pounds his drums in great fashion in Divinations, a lot heavier and more dynamic than its predecessor with the extra rage coming from its Death Metal nuances being fantastic; and Artak keeps blasting his drums in the name of doom in Brothers In Arms, bringing tons of groove and heaviness through his bass and piercing riffs. After that, Artak’s visceral guitar lines will decimate your senses in Parasomnia, with his deep, enraged guttural growls growing in intensity as the music progresses in a lecture in Melodic Death and Doom Metal.
Adding elements from Stoner and Sludge Metal to his already acid riffs, it’s time for Stone Cold Blood, where its experimental passages might not be bad but they end up taking part of the song’s punch; whereas back to a more doomed, gloomier sound our Armenian metaller offers us all The Absence, showcasing beautiful guitars, slow and steady drums, and his trademark devilish vocalizations. Then prepare your mind for an eight-minute journey through the realms of Atmospheric Doom Metal entitled If The Walls Could Talk, where Artak beautifully alternates between gentle, somber passages and sheer heaviness, followed by Voices Underneath, investing in a grandiose and melodic sound while bringing the same vibe as the music by several Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal icons such as Soilwork and In Flames, resulting in a multi-layered creation that will cut your skin deep majestically. Finally, ending such inspiring and deep album we have Eternally Scarred (Part II), where Artak once again blends melancholy and anger through his riffs, bass and drums, again vociferating rabidly until the very last second.
Such precious gem of the Armenian metal scene can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and obviously purchased from the project’s own BandCamp page, from the Satanath Records’ BandCamp page, or from Discogs, if you want to show all your support and admiration for the music by Artak. You can also find him and his Eternally Scarred on Facebook, on Instagram and on VKontakte for news, tour dates and so on, letting him know that although he’s a one-man metal band, he’s definitely not alone. We’ll always carry the scars we get in our lives, even after our deaths, but that’s not a problem at all if that happens to the sound of the excellent Melodic Death and Doom Metal crafted by Eternally Scarred.
Best moments of the album:Divinations, If The Walls Could Talk and Voices Underneath.
Worst moments of the album:Stone Cold Blood.
Released in 2022 Satanath Records
Track listing 1. Deviance 6:40
2. Divinations 7:01
3. Brothers In Arms 4:30
4. Parasomnia 5:09
5. Stone Cold Blood 7:46
6. The Absence 8:00
7. If The Walls Could Talk 8:19
8. Voices Underneath 4:28
9. Eternally Scarred (Part II) 6:54
Band members Artak Karapetyan – vocals, all instruments
Get ready to bang your heads nonstop to the debut album by this Bavarian act, offering powerful Teutonic material forged in the gloriously timeless style of early Accept, Warlock and Running Wild.
Formed in 2018 in Aschaffenburg, a city in Bavaria, Germany, and after a few lineup changes, the talented Heavy Metal squad Böllverk has finally unleashed their debut effort, entitled Heading For The Crown, offering pithy, refreshing and powerful Teutonic material forged in the gloriously timeless style of early Accept, Warlock and Running Wild for the old school-addicted battlevest banger fraction. Currently comprised of Svenja on vocals, Zahn and Raphi on the guitars, Tim on bass and Angelo on drums, Böllverk are on absolute fire in Heading For The Crown, with the classic artwork by Bastian Kraus and the sharp recording, mixing and mastering by Rolf Munkes at Empire Studios giving an even stronger vibe to the entire album, inspiring us all to head into the battlefield together with the band in the name of our beloved old school Heavy Metal.
The incendiary guitars by Zahn and Raphi kick off the pure, unfiltered Heavy Metal tune Ask The Angel, Listen To The Devil, an awesome way to start the album with the galloping drums by Angelo walking hand in hand with the 80’s-inspired vocals by Svenja, and more of their fusion of the classic music played by Iron Maiden, Accept, Judas Priest and Warlock is offered to us all in Let’s Ride Till Dawn, with the band’s guitar duo dictating the rhythm with their spot-on riffs and solos. Good Morning Rock’n’Roll is one of those “breakfast songs” highly recommended for all metalheads worldwide, bringing forward a beautiful hybrid of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock where Svenja’s piercing vocals are complemented by the raspy, Motörhead-infused roars by Zahn; whereas the title-track Heading For The Crown is an in-your-face, straightforward metal extravaganza led by the crushing drums by Angelo, supported by the rumbling bass by Tim.
Zahn’s evil roars boost the high-pitched screams by Svenja in The 7th No (IS A KO), another Hard Rock feast where the sound of the guitars will slash your ears mercilessly, and it’s time to bang our heads nonstop together with Böllverk in Master Of Thunder, another sharp, no shenanigans creation by the quintet showcasing a heavy and melodic kitchen by Tim and Angelo. Then venturing through the realms of Southern and Stoner Metal the band offers us all Live Fast, with Zahn taking the lead on vocals. It’s a good song, but it lacks the epicness of the rest of the album, though. Zahn keeps screaming in Next Level Of Service while Svenja fires her trademark Doro-inspired vocals lines, all spiced up by another round of their flammable riffs and thunderous bass lines, and last but not least, we’re treated to more of their rumbling Heavy Metal in the form of Someday We Will Die, clearly inspired by the classics from the NWOBHM and, therefore, ending the album on a thrilling note.
You can get to know more about Böllverk by following those Teutonic metallers on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with all of their news, tour dates, plans for the future and so on, and you can also send them your feedback about their music as I’m sure the entire band would love to hear from you. In addition, in order to show your support and appreciation for ass-kicking underground German metal you should definitely purchase a copy of Heading For The Crown from the band’s own BandCamp page, as well as stream the album in its entirety on Spotify. Böllverk didn’t need to reinvent the wheel with Heading For The Crown to sound awesome, showing how powerful Heavy Metal still is and, of course, not only pointing to a bright future ahead of the band, but also providing us metalheads with one more excellent reason for keep banging our heads until the very end.
Best moments of the album: Ask The Angel, Listen To The Devil, Good Morning Rock’n’Roll and Someday We Will Die.
Worst moments of the album:Live Fast.
Released in 2022 Independent
Track listing 1. Ask The Angel, Listen To The Devil 6:05
2. Let’s Ride Till Dawn 3:27
3. Good Morning Rock’n’Roll 4:25
4. Heading For The Crown 4:49
5. The 7th No (IS A KO) 4:37
6. Master Of Thunder 6:26
7. Live Fast 4:20
8. Next Level Of Service 3:56
9. Someday We Will Die 5:50
Band members Svenja – vocals
Zahn – guitars, vocals
Raphi – guitars
Tim – bass
Angelo – drums
Denmark’s own Doom Metal institution returns with a masterful sophomore offering, doubling down on the band’s songwriting talent and brutal, heavy sound.
Two years after taking the entire Doom and Heavy Metal scene by storm with the release of their boisterous debut full-length album Puritan Masochism, Copenhagen, Denmark’s own Death/Doom Metal institution Konvent returns with a sophomore offering entitled Call Down the Sun that doubles down on the band’s songwriting talent and brutal, heavy sound. Recorded and mixed by Lasse Ballade at Ballade Studios, mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege Studio, displaying a Stygian artwork by Mads Berg, and undoubtedly inspired by recent dark times, the ongoing pandemic and cancellation of live performances, the new album’s thunderous apocalyptic sound is impossible to escape, with the four-piece entity formed of Rikke Emilie List on vocals, Sara Helena Nørregaard on the guitars, Heidi Withington Brink on bass, and Julie Simonsen on drums unleashing hurricanes of Blackened Death and Doom Metal upon us all, sounding even more pissed-off, fast-paced and pitch-black than ever.
The cryptic words barked by Rikke (“Climb into the distance / Aiming for the price / Seeking a device / Climb into the distance / High”) are the main ingredient in the sluggish and atmospheric Into the Distance, darkening the skies to the slow and steady beats by the talented Julie, whereas Sara and Heidi hammer their stringed weapons mercilessly in Sand is King, sounding utterly perfect for breaking your neck headbanging in the name of doom, not to mention Rikke’s roars get even more demonic and obscure. Julie continues to deliver her trademark tribal beats in In the Soot, another solid fusion of Death and Doom Metal where Sara’s Black Sabbath-inspired riffs will penetrate deep inside your lost soul; and Stygian clouds keep blocking all sunlight in Grains, with Heidi providing those low-tuned bass lines we darkly love so much while Sara keeps slashing her axe in great fashion for our total delight.
And the reverberating bass by Heidi kicks off the superb Fatamorgana, with its somber, poetic lyrics being powerfully vociferated by Rikke (“Time to venture out again through the sand to Neverend / Every step is poorly cast / Leave them in the past / Forever, the orb is a guide / Endeavour from morning till night”) while the music flows flawlessly in a lecture in contemporary Doom Metal, all spiced up by its cult-like backing vocals, morphing into a massive, sinister instrumental Interlude for the also venomous Never Rest, bringing forward the quartet’s undisputed heaviness spearheaded by another brutal work done by Julie on drums, with Rikke once again haunting us all with her inhumane, deep gutturals. Then adding hints of Stoner and Sludge Metal to their core sonority, it’s time for the thunderous Pipe Dreams, where the synchronicity between Sara and Heidi is superb form start to finish as usual. Lastly, we’re treated to Harena, perhaps the band’s deepest and most detailed composition of all time. The melodic but extremely sharp riffs by Sara are a thing of beauty, supported as always by the demolishing kitchen by Heidi and Julie while Rikke roars from the bottom of her blackened heart, resulting in a stunning, dense and climatic ending to the album.
Such delicious masterpiece of Death and Doom Metal can be fully appreciated on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course I highly recommend you purchase your favorite copy of the album by clicking HERE, adding an amazing touch of darkness to your private collection. Also, don’t forget to follow the girls from Konvent on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with news, their plans for the future and their tour dates, and I’m more than sure that watching Konvent playing live might be a fantastic experience. Who knows, maybe one days they’ll tour across Canada? Anyway, having said all that, let’s all call down the sun to the undisputed doom played by those four Danish metallers, and enjoy their beyond sweet companionship in darkness for all eternity.
Best moments of the album: Sand is King, Fatamorgana and Harena.
Worst moments of the album:In the Soot.
Released in 2022 Napalm Records
Track listing 1. Into the Distance 5:23
2. Sand is King 4:12
3. In the Soot 4:52
4. Grains 6:05
5. Fatamorgana 5:54
6. Interlude 2:00
7. Never Rest 5:39
8. Pipe Dreams 4:05
9. Harena 7:13
Band members Rikke Emilie List – vocals
Sara Helena Nørregaard – guitars
Heidi Withington Brink – bass
Julie Simonsen – drums
Welcome to the “Strange Machine” driven by this unstoppable Hard Rock and Doom Metal entity, showcasing the band in their most diverse yet focused light.
Hailing from Sabbath City, the unstoppable Hard Rock/Doom Metal entity Alunah continues to tread their own path in 2022 with a fantastic new album, titled Strange Machine, following up on their critically acclaimed 2019 opus Violet Hour. Written and rehearsed during the pandemic whilst overcoming numerous personal struggles, recorded at the famous Foel Studio, and displaying a stylish artwork by Mariano Peccinetti, the album shows frontwoman Siân Greenaway, guitarist Matt Noble, bassist Daniel Burchmore and drummer Jake Mason in their most diverse yet focused light, overflowing with groove, blues, psychedelia and ferocity, therefore welcoming us all to the “Strange Machine” driven by such distinguished band.
And you better get ready for a wicked voyage to the sound of the title-track Strange Machine, with Jake taking the lead with his Doom Metal beats while Siân is absolutely mesmerizing on vocals, all spiced up by the razor-edged riffs by Matt. Let’s keep banging our heads to the rumbling bass by Daniel in Over The Hills, another lesson in Hard Rock and Doom Metal by the quartet that sounds and feels dense and captivating from start to finish; whereas it’s time for over six minutes of somber, melancholic passages and sounds in the form of Fade Into Fantasy, with Siân once again taking our hearts by storm with her deep, stunning vocals, followed by Broken Stone, another enfolding tune that starts in a tribal manner to the beats by Jake and the low-tuned, metallic bass by Daniel, while Matt delivers fiery Black Sabbath-inspired riffs from his axe. And in Psychedelic Expressway the name of the song says it all, bringing forward a romantic, thrilling fusion of Doom Metal with Psychedelic Rock for our vulgar delectation where all band members are on fire until the very end.
Featuring guest guitars from Shane Wesley of Crowbar, Alunah present the heavy and dirty The Earth Spins, a good composition that keeps the album at a high level of energy, while putting the pedal to the metal Siân and the boys are going to kick your ass mercilessly in Silver, showcasing those electrifying riffs we all love so much in Doom and Stoner Metal. Put differently, there’s not a single second of boredom throughout the entire song; it’s thunderous heavy music at its finest. And we face more of the raw bass lines by Daniel in Teaching Carnal Sins, who makes a fantastic duo with Matt and his old school riffage, flowing smoothly and darkly until the last second and consequently keeping us hypnotized by the band’s flawless performance. Lastly, the closing tune Dead Woman Walking is just as groovy and enfolding as the rest of the album, with Matt offering Siân all she needs to shine on vocals once again, generating a sensational conclusion to the album.
As usual, you can get to know Siân and the boys better by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and by streaming more of their intense, somber and melodic creations on Spotify. In addition, in order to show your true support and admiration for Alunah, you should grab a copy of Strange Machine from the Heavy Psych Sounds Records’ BandCamp page or webstore really soon, adding another fantastic item to your devilish collection. Alunah are taking a huge step forward in their career with Strange Machine, solidifying their sound, shaping up their own style, and as a consequence cementing their name in the history of British Doom Metal. Welcome to the Strange Machine, and let’s keep raising our horns to Alunah in the name of doom.
Best moments of the album: Broken Stone, Silver and Dead Woman Walking.
Worst moments of the album:The Earth Spins.
Released in 2022 Heavy Psych Sounds Records
Track listing 1. Strange Machine 5:00
2. Over The Hills 3:55
3. Fade Into Fantasy 6:15
4. Broken Stone 5:16
5. Psychedelic Expressway 4:14
6. The Earth Spins 5:09
7. Silver 3:37
8. Teaching Carnal Sins 5:02
9. Dead Woman Walking 3:56
Band members Siân Greenaway – vocals
Matt Noble – guitar
Daniel Burchmore – bass
Jake Mason – drums
Guest musician Shane Wesley – guitars on “The Earth Spins”
This unrelenting Polish group returns with a new concept album based upon the moral and ethical conflict between socially imposed conditions and primordial nature of man.
Born in 1995, dead in 2002 and evoked in 2009, always focusing on the creative process and concepts behind the music, lyrics and graphics, Andrychów, Poland-based Black/Death Metal studio project +MROME+ is back into the battlefield with a new concept album, entitled Barbaric Values, following up on their 2016 album Noetic Collision on the Roof of Hell and on their 2019 album Leech Ghetto. Displaying a sick artwork by Ataman Tolovy (featuring a trashart sculpture by Krzysztof Kadłubowski), Barbaric Values is based upon the moral and ethical conflict between socially imposed conditions and primordial nature of man, with a distinctive dark and negative vibe being channeled into a new musical direction again by Key V on vocals and guitar, LV’s on bass, and P on drums.
The sinister beats by P ignite the opening tune Heart of Hearts, evolving into an experimental beast by the trio where Key V is on fire with his riffage supported by the metallic bass by LV’s. Put differently, it’s like a heavier version of Mastodon with an European twist, and they keep hammering their sonic weapons mercilessly in Inviting Birds, sounding visceral, raw and electrifying from start to finish with Key V roaring the song’s acid words nonstop, resulting in a solid hybrid of Black, Death and Experimental Metal. Another devilish, somber intro grows in intensity until the gnarls and guitars by Key V penetrate deep inside your psyche in Vexierkasten, with LV’s and P making your head tremble with their infernal kitchen; whereas razor-edged riffs permeate the air in Mama, a galloping tune led by the neck-breaking drums by P exhaling groove, obscurity and obviously metal, inviting us all for a wicked music voyage together with those Polish rockers.
Srebrne szlaki, which features guest vocals by Ataman Tolovy and lyrics taken from Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan (with Polish translation by Anna Warso and Wojciech Góralczyk, Kultura Gniewu 2018), is even more experimental and idiosyncratic than its predecessors, exploding into an evil extravaganza spearheaded by the wicked riffs by Key V, while Penis Fencing carries a weird name for a song that keeps the album at a high level of acidity and dementia, with P dictating the song’s pace together with LV’s and his progressive bass lines. Then futuristic sounds and tones kick off their second to last experiment titled Balance of Power, before the trio comes ripping once again with their Stoner Metal-infused sonority. Moreover, Key V and LV’s are in total and absolute sync until the very last second. Lastly, the trio is ready to surprise us all once again in The Torun Horse, a melancholic instrumental tune that will bring darkness to your damned soul, featuring music based on Béla Tarr’s A torinói ló soundtrack by Mihály Vig.
It’s impressive how +MROME+ are capable of reinventing themselves with each one of their releases without selling out or sounding cheesy at all; quite the contrary, the evolution in their music is a thing of beauty, and Barbaric Values is the perfect depiction of their skills and their passion for heavy music, never afraid of pushing the boundaries and trying new things in their career. Hence, don’t forget to stream all of their creations on Spotify, and to grab your copy of their newest album from BandCamp, from Merch.is or from Apple Music, saying FUCK YOU to messengers of dread and obedience just like the guys from +MROME+ themselves like to do on a daily basis in the name of good and meaningful music.
Best moments of the album: Heart of Hearts, Mama and Srebrne szlaki.
Worst moments of the album:Penis Fencing.
Released in 2022 NRA
Track listing 1. Heart of Hearts 5:04
2. Inviting Birds 5:09
3. Vexierkasten 6:05
4. Mama 5:25
5. Srebrne szlaki 7:23
6. Penis Fencing 5:20
7. Balance of Power 6:12
8. The Torun Horse 6:42
Band members Key V – vocals, guitar
LV’s – bass
P – drums
Guest musician Ataman Tolovy – vocals on “Srebrne szlaki”
A Stoner Rock and Metal lone wolf highlights the illnesses that doom today’s society in his debut opus, paying homage to the early sounds of 60’s and 70’s rock.
Conjured by Imran Manaff (aka Azrael, the multi-talented vocalist and instrumentalist of Singaporean one-man Black Metal band Funeral Hearse) in 2020 during the Covid-19 global pandemic, the newborn Stoner Rock and Metal beast that goes by the name of Witches Coven is set to release the project’s debut opus, entitled World on Fire, paying homage to the early sounds of 60’s and 70’s rock the likes of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Cactus infused with elements of Japan’s Church of Misery and Sweden’s Monolord. Produced by Imran himself, recorded at Hellblaze Studio, and mixed and mastered by Sonicmonk, all embraced by the sinister cover art by Pedro Rey, World on Fire showcases seven original songs loosely inspired by Allen Ginsberg’s infamous poem Howl while highlighting the illnesses that doom today’s society.
Raw, dirty guitars and sluggish beats ignite the opening tune Reason to Believe, evolving into a Stoner and Doom Metal feast the likes of old school Black Sabbath with Imran also firing his raspy vocals to make things even more infernal, whereas featuring excerpt from Consumption & Consumerism by Joseph Patrick, Shackles of Desire is even more demonic and grim. Put differently, it’s one of those Doom Metal compositions perfect for darkening the skies where Imran is ready to crush our souls with his riffage and beats. And Imran keeps hammering his sonic weapons and delivering ass-kicking Stoner Rock and Metal for our total delight in Waiting for Time, feeling like Imran is simply jamming with himself, sounding very organic and thrilling form start to finish.
Then drinking once again from the same obscure fountain of bands like Black Sabbath, Pentagram and Celtic Frost, it’s time for the dirtier-than-hell tune Blinded by Lights, with the inebriate vociferations by Imran walking hand in hand with his wicked riffs and rumbling bass lines; and let’s keep banging our heads like true bastards to the sound of Falling Through, another Sludge Metal extravaganza by Imran and his Witches Coven that will please all lovers of the most damned side of music. Imran shows no mercy for our necks and souls in Blurring the Lines, with his low-tuned bass jabs and sharp, crude riffs generating a reverberating vibe that penetrates deep inside our minds, and last but not least, Imran’s menacing bass returns in full force in Dawn of the Morning Star, a song that will block all light coming from the sun, therefore leaving us in pitch black darkness with the cryptic vocalizations by Imran sounding demented and hopeless until the very end.
The unstoppable Imran Manaff and his Witches Coven are waiting to darken our hearts and minds on the official Facebook page for Funeral Hearse (simply because Witches Coven doesn’t have its own specific page, or at least not yet, and because we can consider both bands as Imran’s alter-egos), and if you want to show your support to such hardworking and skillful lone wolf, you can purchase a copy of the excellent World on Fire from the Spy Satellite Records’ BandCamp page. May the hands of doom touch your soul through the infernal and piercing music blasted by Witches Coven, and may the energy and mystery of 60’s and 70’s rock and metal music keep flowing in the air for centuries to come thanks to awesome musicians from the independent scene such as Imran, who will surely bring forward more of his wicked music in the nearby future with both his Funeral Hearse and Witches Coven.
Best moments of the album: Reason to Believe and Blinded by Lights.
Worst moments of the album:Falling Through.
Released in 2022 Spy Satellite Records
Track listing 1. Reason to Believe 8:11
2. Shackles of Desire 8:15
3. Waiting for Time 6:25
4. Blinded by Lights 4:45
5. Falling Through 6:41
6. Blurring the Lines 8:26
7. Dawn of the Morning Star 7:56
Band members
Imran Manaff – vocals, guitars, bass, synth, drums programming
Eternal darkness is covering my eyes and penetrating me…
Dark skies are over us all once again here on The Headbanging Moose thanks to the raw and visceral Black Metal crafted by a multi-talented woman who will undoubtedly blacken our hearts even more. Hailing from Rivne, a historic city in western Ukraine located over 300 kilometers to the west of the country’s capital Kiev, she’s not only an amazing Extreme Metal vocalist, but she also plays all instruments including lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars, bass and drums for her stunning one-woman Occult and Depressive Black Metal project entitled Ieschure. Her poetic name, Lilita Arndt, adds an extra touch of beauty to her unique creations, and you’ll be more than pleased with her music, her view of Black Metal and how she incorporates all her influences into each one of her songs.
Lilita’s interest in writing and playing music began at a very early stage of her childhood, when she started to write lyrics and later tried to create simple melodies for them on her acoustic guitar, which by the way was her very first instrument, then learning how to play keyboards (followed by all other instruments she currently knows), all self-taught and never having any sort of formal or structured music lessons with anyone. After taking part in different projects as a singer, including an old acoustic project called Embrace of Hedera from 2007 until 2015 which played melancholic, dark and romantic music with acoustic guitars and clean female vocals (and with whom she recorded the album The Castle On The Rolling Hills in 2015), Lilita wanted to explore new territories by creating her own music with her own melodies, lyrics, singing and atmosphere, being the mastermind of her own project and experimenting with melodies and vocals, the main reason why she decided to found her own solo project Ieschure back in 2015.
A word chosen by Lilita after the whole album The Shadow was finished in 2017, Ieschure has the project’s name related to occult things and the meaning of this word is really important for her, although our multi-talented musician prefers it to be known only by herself. Dealing with classic Black Metal lyrical themes such as occultism, witchcraft and death, and using a serpent as her symbol (more specifically as a primitive symbol of power and wisdom but at the same time representing death and damnation), this one-woman Black Metal force has already released an array of bold, captivating albums since the project’s inception in 2015, those being the aforementioned full-length opus The Shadow, in 2017, the EP’s Cold Stars of Eternity and Phantoms of God, in 2020, and more recently the split album Witch’s Consecration, now in 2021, with Brazilian Black Metal horde Promethean Gate. If you want to have a very good taste of how breathtaking the music by Ieschure is, you can enjoy some awesome songs online such as Eternal Agony, Mystic Schizophrenia and Phantoms Of God, or simply go to BandCamp, to Big Cartel and to Spotify (or click HERE) to stream and purchase all of her wicked creations.
Not only the woman responsible for all vocals and instruments in all of Ieschure releases, Lilita also handles all recording, mixing, mastering, lyrics and layout of the albums, which is absolutely in line with her initial dream of having a project of her own. In addition, Lilita has also collaborated in several albums from other bands, with the most memorable for her to date being singing with the bands Detention and Restless. For instance, she recorded vocals for the songs Nidhogg(from the album Lost Souls in a Godless World) and Wolf’s Head (from the album The Battle of Tara) by American Doom/Stoner/Southern Metal band Black Mountain Thunder, both in 2015; vocals for the song The Face of God, from the 2015 self-titled album by American Stoner/Doom Metal band Clawhammer; vocals on the 2014 album Marginal, by Kazakh Depressive Metal band Detention; vocals on the song Rurel, from the 2018 self-titled EP by Italian Black/Folk Metal band Dovrefjell; backing vocals on the songs Spiritueller Selbstmord, from the 2014 album Verwüstung, and Wenn Die Sterne Nicht Mehr Scheinen, from the 2014 EP Horizont, by Ukrainian Black Metal/Ambient band Moloch; vocals on the 2017 album Funeral Impressions, by Italian Funeral Doom Metal band Restless; and vocals on the song Bride of Winter, from the 2016 album Forgotten Tales, by Italian Black Metal band Waldweg; not to mention the cover art for the 2019 EP The Wanderer, by Tuskish Atmospheric Black Metal band Akrunant.
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Regarding her first experiences with Heavy and Black Metal, Lilita mentioned in one of her interviews that she began listening to popular metal bands when she was a teenager, becoming more and more interested in the underground and, consequently, getting attracted to the world of Black Metal. In her opinion, Black Metal is not just a music style, but a dark side of art, an irrational fusion of music, theatre and philosophy, full of paradoxes and concentrating the strongest emotions, hatred and some perverted love to life, which is the main reason why she considers it perfect. She complemented by saying that she has felt the presence of hidden forces in the world since she was a little child, gradually getting more interested in those and in occultism, also saying that realizing that she will die some day was what truly attracted her to that. Apart from drawing inspiration from the works of renowned occultists the likes of Aleister Crowley, Eliphas Levi, Stanislas de Guaita and George Gurdjieff, she also enjoys reading and studying about her work as a designer, all forms of art, mythology, psychology, history, travelling and everything that can give her new knowledge about the world. And in terms of what inspires the music by Ieschure the most, she mentioned Black Metal behemoths such as early Urfaust, Behexen, Rotting Christ, My Dying Bride, Opeth and, above all, Burzum, as his music embodies the ideas of misanthropy and loneliness in the best way imaginable according to our sinister diva.
When asked about her vocal style and technique, Lilita said that her screaming vocals were influenced by classic Black Metal bands, whereas for clean vocals she gets her inspiration from non-Black Metal music, as for example Julie Christmas, her favorite female singer of bands like Battle Of Mice and Made Out of Babies, and Free Dominguez, of Kidneythieves. In addition, regarding her songwriting process, Lilita said the first thing she does is many improvisations on the guitar at her home studio, recording various ideas, listening to them again at a later stage, and if she finds any of those ideas interesting enough she rerecords them to include all other instruments. Also, she complemented by saying most of her time in that process is taken by the lyrics writing process, as she can rewrite those many times and do various vocal improvisations to find the best version, finally rerecording everything.
As a true admirer of the underground, in special the first wave of Black Metal bands, their sound and atmosphere, as well as old Doom Metal, Lilita also said that although she doesn’t listen to a lot of bands from the Black Metal scene in her homeland Ukraine she knows there are several bands and projects in the country who create true underground music, always prioritizing the music instead of fame or money. However, she said she cannot compare herself to any of those bands, as she tries to go her own way with her own opinion about music. In addition, she also mentioned in one of her interviews that she doesn’t usually attend concerts, as for her personally the best way to listen to music is to listen to it in her headphones.
Lastly, when questioned if one day Ieschure will become a full-bodied group with other members joining her, Lilita said that, although she’s always open to change, she doesn’t think that’s a possibility for now. Furthermore, she mentioned that if one day she finds that a good alternative for embodying her ideas she will definitely try working with other musicians, as long as of course they’re sincerely interested in music and follow similar or the same ideas as hers. In the end, it doesn’t matter if she continues to create music as a lone she-wolf or if she finds the perfect lineup for Ieschure, our beloved metal witch will keep experimenting with melodies and vocal styles while always keeping an evil Black Metal atmosphere in the background, playing raw and devilish sounds for our total delectation in the name of darkness, death and the occult.
“For me black metal is really a dark side of Art. It’s not just a music style. Mixture of music, theatre and philosophy, more irrational than other music styles, full of paradoxes, concentrating the strongest emotions, hatred and some perverted love to life. That is why it is perfect.” – Lilita Arndt
Hailing from Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas, in the United States, the up-and-coming Sludge/Doom Metal trio Mammoth Caravan is unleashing upon humanity their bitterly cold and grim debut opus, entitled Ice Cold Oblivion, a concept record about a primitive nomad chasing a baby mammoth from the herd. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Jason Tedford at Wolfman Studios, and displaying a sinister artwork by the band’s own drummer Robert Warner, Ice Cold Oblivion will smash your head with the power of the riff, masterfully brought into being by the aforementioned Robert Warner alongside vocalist and bassist Brandon Ringo and guitarist Evan Swift, being therefore recommended for admirers of the dirtiest side of Sludge, Stoner and Doom Metal.
In case you’re eager to put your hands on such solid feast of doom, you can purchase Ice Cold Oblivion from the band’s own BandCamp page, from Apple Music or from Amazon, and don’t forget to also give the guys from Mammoth Caravan a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream their album in full on Spotify. In summary, Ice Cold Oblivion has everything you can ask for in a Sludge and Doom Metal album, taking you on a bitterly cold, grim journey that will leave you eager for more of the music by this talented American trio in the coming years.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 