Tag Archives: stoner metal

Album Review – Them County Bastardz / Sick Daze (2015)

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These Canadian rednecks show us all what happens when the words “fun” and “metal” are put together in a very enjoyable way.

Rating5

TCB Cover - Sick DazeIt’s always a pleasure to see a new metal band that, above all things, enjoys having fun while composing and playing their music. Several renowned bands have already been like that at a given period of their careers, and almost always those are considered their true golden years. Influenced by the heavy and acid music by metal icons like Pantera, Godsmack and Hellyeah, here comes Canadian Heavy Metal band Them County Bastardz, offering us all their debut album entitled Sick Daze, an old school metal party that will invite you to have fun with the band, as simple as that. Well, metal music doesn’t need anything else to be good as long as it’s heavy and fun, don’t you agree?

Formed in 2013 and based in Leamington, Essex County, Ontario, Them County Bastardz like to keep it simple, focusing on straight-to-the-point riffs and explicit lyrics to provide the listener a good idea of how it is to live in their county. The whole album is inspired by their true stories and experiences, and by that you can imagine the crazy amount of fun they had creating the album. For instance, the name of the album is already connected to their lifestyle: according to the band members themselves, “sick daze” is when you take a Monday off work because you are still feeling the weekend fun.

After mentioning the word “fun” a hundred times in just a few lines, let’s get the party started and feel the real fun proposed by Them County Bastardz, beginning with the raw and direct awesomeness of the opening track, Drive By. It’s an old school rock/metal song about overspeeding, drinking and consequently breaking the law, with not a single second of boredom, and kudos to Andrew Watson for his excellent vocals à la Rob Zombie and to guitarist Brien Alexander for his exciting guitar riffs and solo. In The County continues with the “drinking and having trouble with the police” theme, showcasing strong influences from White Zombie and Godsmack, plus its Body Count-ish riffs supporting the rap-like vocal lines. And c’mon guys, MORE COWBELL!

TCB Press PhotoThe sludgy and heavy rhythm and the headbanging riffs in Buzz Kill go along really well with its simple but effective lyrics about real relationships (“And my girl was mad she said maybe you should leave / This happened once before she kicked me out the door / And I don’t even know why we are fighting anymore / This could of happened it should of happened”), while It’s Not Metal is just a short “tribute” (or whatever that is) to American Hard Rock veterans Extreme, more specifically to their biggest hit “More Than Words”, that works as an intro to the rude Metal For Mark (whoever Mark is). Their Thrash/Stoner Metal vein arises in this song, with its Pantera-inspired riffs by guitarists by Brien Alexander and Mike Rennie and violent harsh vocals by Andrew, all led by the beats by drummer Jim Kay, making it an awesome soundtrack for a pub fight scene.

The Bastard, a recommended song for enjoying a beer, smoothes things a little with its more melodic and lighter Stoner Rock approach, especially in terms of vocals, before Rise Up, a song about taking some action in your life (“Living your life inside that chair / Taking no chance because you’re scared / Saying those lies inside that prayer / Hoping you can just sit right there”), closes the album in a very decent and groovy way. In my opinion, this song could easily be re-recorded in a partnership with a Rap Metal act, and don’t forget to appreciate the strong bass lines by Tyler Wickham, they dictate the rhythm of the song together with the guitar riffs.

Sick Daze is available at the Them County Bastardz’s official BandCamp page, and you can also check their Facebook page for more information and news about the band. If you love when the words “fun” and “metal” go together, in special when there are talented and enthusiastic musicians behind that mix, this album will certainly put a smile upon your face while you’re having a beer and banging your head with your metal buddies.

Best moments of the album: Drive By and Metal For Mark.

Worst moments of the album: In The County.

Released in 2015 Smokehouse Records

Track listing
1. Drive By 4:48
2. In The County 4:33
3. Buzz Kill 4:03
4. It’s Not Metal 0:25
5. Metal For Mark 5:25
6. The Bastard 4:23
7. Rise Up 3:58

Band members
Andrew Watson – vocals
Brien Alexander – lead guitar
Mike Rennie – rhythm guitar
Tyler Wickham – bass
Jim Kay – drums

Album Review – Profane And The Sacred / Chapter 1 : A Long Time Coming (2015)

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The first chapter in the career of this British Stoner Metal band is more than promising: it’s a lesson in heavy and gripping music.

Rating3

p&s_08After listening to Chapter 1 : A Long Time Coming, the debut studio album by British Stoner Rock/Metal band Profane And The Sacred, there was only one question that came across my mind: how not to bang my head while enjoying a cold beer to the music triggered by those guys? Seriously, they’re not kidding when they describe their sound as “hard heavy gigantic grooves”, and they will certainly make you feel all that energy flowing through your ears directly into your body and soul with this album.

Formed in 2010 and based in London, UK, Profane And The Sacred were capable of combining the best you can find in bands such as Down, Crowbar, Black Sabbath, Karma to Burn and many other distinguished Rock N’ Roll groups in a compelling and robust way. As you will notice, all songs surpass the 5-minute barrier, but that doesn’t mean they’re too progressive, tedious or anything like that. Quite the contrary, each and every song has tons of interesting elements to offer the listener, strengthened by huge doses of professionalism and feeling, and therefore keeping you hooked on Chapter 1 : A Long Time Coming from start to finish.

In the opening track, Bench, we are already able to experience a puissant Stoner Rock atmosphere brought forth by the dark riffs by lead singer/guitarist Luke Alleeson and guitarist Rick Spooner, with highlights to the beautiful guitar solos at the end of the song. However, do not go too crazy with this excellent tune and save some of your energy for what’s about to come: Bleed That Stone is not only a lot more metallic than its predecessor (thanks in part to the intense beats by drummer Kieran Smith), with its last minute or so sounding like a “tribute” to Down and Crowbar so good it is, but also Luke’s voice fits the musicality flawlessly while bassist Rob Taylor smashes his four-string weapon, making the song even tougher and more enjoyable.

Photo 06-10-2014 19 18 51Moreover, if there’s one thing this band knows how to do is filling every single second of their music with solidity and depth. For instance, You Know adventures into even more Crowbar-ish lines, with Luke declaiming the song’s “cute” lyrics while the other band members keep kickin’ ass with their more-than-ruthless Sludge Metal; whereas Weather The Storm focuses on 100% old school Stoner Rock, with kudos to Rob for his melodic and soulful bass solo. An even higher level of dynamism is found in the amazing From The Top, the first single of the album, which is basically what all of us want to hear in Stoner Metal: badass drumming and low-tuned riffs accompanied by realistic and introspective lyrics.

Then we have All For None, which showcases another great performance by Rob and Kieran and some interesting shifts from faster beats to a much slower and sludgier rhythm (and vice-versa) without sounding mechanic or disconnected at all, followed by another good tune entitled Just A Little, where Luke complements the song’s vile riffs, breaks and variations with his unique vocal lines. Finally, one of the best tracks of the entire album, Words, which flirts with more traditional Heavy Metal, is so extraordinary I bet you’ll start air mimicking either the riffs, drums or at least start singing the lyrics with them. It’s a spectacular Rock N’ Roll/Stoner Metal anthem, with the fine tuning of both guitars being beyond splendid. There’s also a smooth instrumental track to close the album, A New Leaf, which invites you to close your eyes and relax to the sound of its acoustic guitars, as simple as that.

You can find more information about Profane And The Sacred on their official Facebook page, YouTube and Instagram, as well as purchase their music on Amazon, iTunes and Cargo Records. Chapter 1 : A Long Time Coming is an invaluable lesson in Stoner Metal, so to speak, and I cannot wait for more of their gripping music in a near future (maybe a “chapter 2” album) to make my beer even more delightful.

Best moments of the album: Bleed That Stone, From The Top and Words.

Worst moments of the album: A New Leaf.

Released in 2015 Cargo Records

Track listing
1. Bench 8:13
2. Bleed That Stone 5:42
3. You Know 7:24
4. Weather The Storm 7:25
5. From The Top 5:01
6. All For None 5:39
7. Just A Little 6:57
8. Words 7:24
9. A New Leaf 5:31

Band members
Luke Alleeson – vocals, guitars
Rick Spooner – guitars
Rob Taylor – bass guitar
Kieran Smith – drums

 

Album Review – Dö / Den EP (2015)

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5

Enjoy the darkest side of heavy music forged in the deep and ghoulish den of “Hellsinki”.

Rating4

“Through the gates left open.
From the paths unknown.
Came three unholy bastards…”

Den_CoverHow about that? Those are the beautiful words used by Finnish Doom/Stoner Metal band Dö to present themselves to the rest of the world, and let me tell you they couldn’t be more accurate than that. Furthermore, you might be asking yourself what “Dö” means and how to pronounce it, right? If I’m not mistaken, “Dö” means to die or kick the bucket, with its correct pronunciation being available HERE. This is all very interesting, but what about their music? Well, that’s where the band truly excels, firing deeply disturbing and exciting tunes for our deviant delectation.

Forged in the frozen flames of “Hellsinki”, Finland (or just Helsinki for the mere mortals) and fueled by epic amounts of bitterness, alcohol and dark humor, those talented Finns embrace darkness once again after the release of their unnamed debut EP in the beginning of 2014 to offer us metalheads a brand new EP entitled Den, which goes on for over 28 minutes despite having only four tracks and, believe me, there’s absolutely no sign of hope or tranquility throughout its entirety. After all, we’re talking about the darkest form of Doom Metal, which means happiness is just a distant memory and nothing we would expect to hear from a band like this.

That characteristic Doom Metal rhythm is already there in the excellent For the Worms, with its low-tuned riffs by Big Dog and slow and steady drumming by Peat Rex, enhanced by hints of the most obscure songs by Black Sabbath. The song, which begins with an acoustic intro followed by the harsh growls by Deaf Hank (by the way, one of the highlights of the entire EP), showcases lyrics that couldn’t be more morbid and desperate, especially its funereal chorus. Not only that, its guitar solo by Big Dog, totally inspired by heavy classics from the 70’s, adds an extra layer of mysticism to the final result.

Dö_promoFollowing that marvel we have the even more gruesome Frostbites, which if you live in a warm country or have never heard of it means the medical condition in which localized damage is caused to skin and other tissues due to freezing. Just as “lovely” as that sounds, the band provides us some amazing instrumental passages, with highlights to the excellent job done by Peat Rex in maintaining the rhythm as nefarious as possible without becoming stale, while Deaf Hank vociferates the lyrics with an extra dose of negativity during the chorus (“Red skies / Dark eyes / Last rites / Frostbites”). Another awesome part of the lyrics is “You live in fear / Winter is here”, probably as a tribute to the country where they come from (although it’s not dangerous there at all, it’s just damn cold), and once again Big Dog masters the art of old school guitar solos.

Just when you think it couldn’t get more freakish the band comes with the mesmerizing tune Hex, thanks mainly to the cryptic and polished riffs by Big Dog, with the second half of the song being a perfect Stoner Metal exhibit. And last but not least, The Moon Follows Us, a track highly recommended for metalheads that love dark and extremely well-crafted music, brings forth a comprehensive mix of Doom and Stoner Metal, with its cleaner guitar riffs providing it a slightly lighter atmosphere while the raspy screams by Deaf Hank and drums by Peat Rex are the “doomed” side of it.

Please, I’m kindly asking you to visit their Facebook page, BandCamp and YouTube channel to know more about this outstanding Finnish band, listen to the entire EP, purchase their music and support them in their path to stardom. Moreover, if you do not do what I’m saying, those three unholy bastards will drag you anyway to their grisly den, so why resist and suffer their wrath when you can easily join the dark side of music and, of course, enjoy it?

Best moments of the album: For the Worms.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1.For the Worms 7:08
2.Frostbites 8:19
3.Hex 6:05
4.The Moon Follows Us 7:01

Band members
Deaf Hank – Executive Vice President of Low-end and Oral Messaging
Big Dog – General Development Officer of Riffs and 6 Strings
Peat Rex – Chief Executive Officer of Rhythm and Tempo

Album Review – Sata Kaskelottia / Sata Kaskelottia (2015)

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One hundred sperm whales playing heavy music? Not only that’s real, but the final result is also pretty good.

Rating5

SK_album_coverAlthough English is considered the universal language of music, especially if a band or artist wants to be heard and recognized overseas, sometimes singing in their mother tongue becomes not only an essential part of the music, but what differentiates the band from the others. That’s what makes such amazing bands like Eths, Teräsbetoni and Rammstein so entertaining, and now the same can be said about Finnish Stoner/Progressive Metal band Sata Kaskelottia and their self-titled debut album Sata Kaskelottia.

If translated to English, “sata kaskelottia” curiously means “one hundred sperm whales”, but obviously do not expect to listen to that amount of cachalots singing in Finnish like one of those nature compilations with the sounds of whales and dolphins. What we have here is pure heavy music crafted by a very talented Helsinki-based quartet who mixes elements of Stoner Rock, Sludge Metal and Progressive Metal in their music, without limiting themselves only to these genres. The final result is very solid, legit and, who knows, might even inspire you to learn some Finnish.

You will truly enjoy the raw and direct musicality found in the opening track, Huuto (“Scream”), with the very aggressive vocals and riffs by both Eetu Kauppinen and Matti Kangaskoski adding a lot of energy to the song, which by the way should sound amazing when played live. The following track, Yö On Ohi (“The Night Is Over”), showcases a stronger Stoner Rock/Metal vein, with its riffs and drums the likes of Down and Crowbar. Moreover, in my opinion this song would be an excellent choice for introducing a badass character in a movie, don’t you agree?

Sata_kaskelottia_2Based on what I could find online, Ikuturso means “The Eternal Turso”, a malevolent sea monster in Finnish mythology, which perfectly fits the sonority found in this track. It’s interesting how vocals and riffs complement each other throughout the entire song, with bassist Jukka-Pekka Kupi and drummer Ville Salonen helping elevate the overall progressiveness of it. Then we have Veden Alle (“Under Water”), a song full of progressive elements similar to what Dream Theater do, with of course a heavier approach thanks to its guitar solo totally inspired by Stoner Rock, and the longest track of the album, Kyntö (“Plowing”), which despite starting with a smooth and progressive intro, suddenly turns into somber  Stoner Metal. Not only that, the intense screams used during the song are very effective in making it even darker and more interesting.

Suljetun Huoneen Samurai (which should mean “Samurai In A Closed Room”) is a faster and more direct tune, with highlights to the excellent job done by all band members, especially to drummer Ville for maintaining such a high level of aggressiveness during the entire song; while Jumalan Ääni (“The Voice Of God”) is the perfect example of what happens when Stoner Rock and Progressive Metal walk hand in hand. Even if you don’t understand a word in Finnish you can enjoy the vocal lines so fun they are, plus a soulful guitar solo to end this song on a high note. Finally we have the excellent headbanging tune Kansalainen Zombie (“Citizen Zombie”) and its fuckin’ heavy riffs commanding the rhythm, with its last part being a delight to fans of good old rock music jamming, and the more introspective Merimies (“Seamen”), which despite having some melancholic passages also offers us that fierce and technical Stoner Metal we all enjoy so much.

Go support this promising band by checking them on Facebook and SoundCloud, and by purchasing their music on iTunes or Amazon. If you want to take a listen at the potent sound that one hundred sperm whales can generate, Sata Kaskelottia is by far your best option.

Best moments of the album: Huuto, Suljetun Huoneen Samurai and Kansalainen Zombie.

Worst moments of the album: Veden Alle.

Released in 2015 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Huuto 2:51
2. Yö On Ohi 4:34
3. Ikuturso 4:04
4. Veden Alle 4:46
5. Kyntö 6:31
6. Suljetun Huoneen Samurai 2:26
7. Jumalan Ääni 3:15
8. Kansalainen Zombie 3:43
9. Merimies 5:43

Band members
Eetu Kauppinen – vocals, guitars
Matti Kangaskoski – guitars, vocals
Jukka-Pekka Kupi – bass
Ville Salonen – drums, percussion

Album Review – Witches Of Doom / Obey (2014)

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These Italian guys bring you some awesome Doom and Stoner Metal with a unique goth vibe. They’re the Witches of Doom, yeah!

Rating4

Witches-Of-Doom-ObeyThere were so many brilliant Heavy Metal and Rock N’ Roll bands from the 80’s and part of the 90’s with a strong goth vibe it’s hard to name just a few, like for example The Cult, Paradise Lost and Sisters of Mercy. However, very few bands playing that type of music were created (and survived) in the past decade or so, which unfortunately ended up dragging such a rich genre down to the underground of music. Let’s say that this little “problem” is almost over with the blessed birth of Italian Goth-Stoner-Doom Metal band Witches Of Doom and their outstanding debut album Obey, released a couple of months ago.

Although they’re not reinventing goth, doom or anything else, the way this Rome-based band blends all the elements from those music genres, also adding hints of 70’s Hard Rock and elements of more contemporary heavy music, is beyond amazing. In other words, you’ll be able to easily identify the influence of bands such as Moonspell and Depeche Mode in their music, but it’s far from being just a “cover” band. Witches Of Doom have their own musicality, a modern and personalized goth heavy rock that will please all fans of good occult music.

The Betrayal begins with a Breaking Bad-ish intro before turning into a thrilling mix of Doom Metal and Southern Rock, with highlights to the great vocal performance by Danilo “Groova” Piludu. The last part of the song sounds a lot like American Sludge Metal supergroup Down, especially its raw riffs and soulful solo. Following that excellent beginning, we have Witches of Doom, a much heavier version of that goth music from the 80’s played by Sisters of Mercy and an excellent “business card” from the band (“We are the Witches of Doom, yeah!”), and To the Bone, a song that could be played in any radio station in the world: it’s 100% catchy with a really cool atmosphere. Besides, it’s easy to see how much guitarist Federico “Fed” Venditti loves 80’s rock music based on his guitar lines.

The next track, Needless Needle, is another interesting song full of guitar effects the likes of Paradise Lost and a nice old-fashioned keyboard solo at the end, but its main strength is how the band supports the chorus with their instruments, making it exciting and unique; while the piano ballad Crown of Thorns focus on a more melancholic feeling, especially its lyrics, getting heavier halfway through it.

DSC_0683The second half of the album starts with the awesome distorted guitar and bass lines of Dance of the Dead Flies, which can be considered the first of the two songs that sound like a tribute to the one and only Type O Negative. It’s Doom and Stoner Metal to the maximum heaviness, with kudos to singer Groova for his badass performance on vocals one more time. The second and most Type O Negative-ish song of the album is entitled Rotten to the Core: this is one of those songs tailored to be played during a strip-tease at the most underground Rock N’ Roll strip club in the world, something like From Dusk Till Dawn (and I can even imagine Salma Hayek, or I should say Santanico Pandemonium, doing her sexy dance). In addition, once again the guitar solo enhances the overall energy of the song.

Last but not least, we have It’s My Heart (Where I Feel the Cold), a heavier and a lot better ballad than “Crown of Thorns” with nice piano notes by Graziano “Eric” Corrado and some really dark low riffs, giving it an intense goth vibe; and the title-track Obey, with its tribal intro, powerful keyboards, poetic lyrics (“I was waiting for you in the sky”), and a mesmerizing rhythm. It even has some interesting sitar notes to boost its delicious eerie atmosphere. And just for your information, this song doesn’t actually have 14 minutes: it ends at around minute 8 or 9, “returning” at minute 12 as some kind of “hidden track” that contains only some weird distorted noises.

In summary, Witches Of Doom’s Obey, available at their Big Cartel page, on iTunes and other different places, brings back to you directly from Italy that awesome 80’s goth sonority, offering you everything you loved so much in that era but without sounding obsolete at all. Quite the contrary, those guys are looking to the future of music, supported by their technique, their influences and, more important than that, a lot of feeling and passion for Rock N’ Roll.

Best moments of the album: The Betrayal, Dance of the Dead Flies and Rotten to the Core.

Worst moments of the album: Crown of Thorns.

Released in 2014 Sliptrick Records

Track listing
1. The Betrayal 3:49
2. Witches of Doom 3:54
3. To the Bone 3:49
4. Needless Needle 5:01
5. Crown of Thorns 5:25
6. Dance of the Dead Flies 5:06
7. Rotten to the Core 4:10
8. It’s My Heart (Where I Feel the Cold) 4:17
9. Obey 14:45

Band members
Danilo “Groova” Piludu – vocals
Federico “Fed” Venditti – guitar
Jacopo Cartelli – bass
Graziano “Eric” Corrado – keyboards
Andrea “Budi” Budicin – drums

Album Review – Cauldron Black Ram / Stalagmire (2014)

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The music from Down Under has never been so obscure and devilish.

Rating5

CoverIt’s time to visit our friends from Down Under in search for some well-executed heavy music. However, this time our focus is not the traditional Hard Rock from AC/DC or Airbourne, but the extreme music from Australian Black/Death Metal band Cauldron Black Ram and their new album, the 100% evil Stalagmire.

The band has been on the road for quite a while, more specifically since 1996, having already released a couple of demos and full-length albums, but of course due to their raw, unpolished and gruesome musicality, it was pretty hard for them to reach a bigger and more diversified audience in the past. At least the Internet has evolved a lot in the past few years  and nowadays even headbangers from the other side of the world (like here in Canada) are able to enjoy the music from bands like this obscure Australian crew.

The opening track is a very good sample of what Cauldron Black Ram are capable of doing:  Fork Through Pitch is a diabolic mix of Death and Doom Metal, with traditional instrumental and harsh vocals that will please all fans of extreme music, especially because of the band’s previously mentioned rough production. The following track, Maw, goes on with the obscurity with its melancholic intro, good old-style riffs and vocals even more devilish than the previous song, while Discarded Death is a more Black Metal tune, where the good pace of drums and the deeper growling make it pure evil.

A Litany of Sailors Sins is a really slow-paced and dark tune, sometimes so macabre and heavy that I think people who are not really into Death and Black Metal will feel bad after listening to it. Well, that’s one of the main objectives of this type of music, right? Anyway, the nice guitar solo mixed with fast drumming by the end of the song gives it an extra dose of energy, which ends up preparing us for Bats, the fastest track of the album, full of awesome screaming and twisted riffs heavier than hell, and in my humble opinion one of the best songs of Stalagmire.

Cauldron-Black-RamCavern Fever is pretty decent instrumental track similar to Cannibal Corpse’s “Relentless Beating”, showcasing the talent of the musicians, while From Whence the Old Skull Came should be chosen as the perfect soundtrack to apocalypse: it might have a very simple and repetitive riff, but it’s at the same time extremely effective in sending the message desired by the band.

Finally, we have another extremely rudimentary track, The Devil’s Trotters, which not only sounds like the Devil himself is singing in it, but it also has some excellent rude bass lines that make it stand out from all other tracks of the album; and the obscure Speliogenesis, a song that could easily summarize pain, agony, sadness and despair in music if someone asked you to do that. Moreover, its pure Doom Metal vocals and extremely dense riffs help closing the album in the most demonic way possible.

The album art is as primitive as their music, and besides that, one interesting characteristic I could notice in their music was the addition of many elements from Stoner Metal the likes of Down and Crowbar, and even some hints of the Doom Metal played by Danzig and Black Sabbath, which in the end is undoubtedly healthful for the band and its future in heavy music.

In short, if you enjoy “evil” music, Stalagmire is a very good option to invest your hard-earned money, which can be done at the 20 Buck Spin official webshop (both the CD and the LP versions of the album are available there) or you can stream it and download it at the 20 Buck Spin Bandcamp page.

Best moments of the album: Fork Through Pitch, Bats and The Devil’s Trotters.

Worst moments of the album: Maw and Discarded Death.

Released in 2014 20 Buck Spin

Track listing
1. Fork Through Pitch 3:19
2. Maw 3:20
3. Discarded Death 4:07
4. A Litany of Sailors Sins 4:16
5. Bats 3:37
6. Cavern Fever 2:35
7. From Whence the Old Skull Came 3:13
8. The Devil’s Trotters 4:13
9. Speliogenesis 4:23

Band members
Esh – drums, vocals
Alim – guitar, vocals
Ben Newsome – vocals, bass