BB Black Dog - No6 (CD Review)

Dale Rowles (High Bass/Vocals)

Sven Breuel (5 String Low Bass)

Axel Boldt (Drums)

01.A Great Night Out

02.Pay To Play

03.John Deer Cap

04.Hairy Teeth

05.Nazi Gold

06.Blue Eyes Brown

07.A Star

08.To The Light

09.A Great Song

10.Good People Of The World

11.Kings

12.Groupie

Live Tracks 2019:

13.Labba Boy

14.Music Teacher

15.Groupie

16.Good And Bad Live

CD Booklet Short Story By LM Cooke.

Derbyshire based band with English and German members, formed early in 2007 with a pretty unique set up with 2 bass players and a drummer. Playing a mixture of Psychedelic and Classic Rock with Stoner and Blues influence, then add to that mix some quirky lyrics and clever timing changes and dress it up in Steampunk outfits.

They have a fearsome reputation live having played well over 1000 gigs in Hamburg, Berlin, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, London, Birmingham and tours across 2 continents. Epic Stage shows add Pole Dancers, Burlesque, Belly Dancers, Fun and Games and audience participation.

Aside from being musicians they are well respected due to their work on promoting Steampunk and arranging events Like the Steampunk Solstice, the Phoenix Alternative Festival, the Steampunk Illuminations and many more.

Drawing on a wide range of experience from not just the Band but our growing group of Helpers.

They also run www.steampunkrecords.com, helping and promoting other Bands in the Genre, via Non Profit Co-op, as well as Raising money for Charity.

They are not just 'another band' they are a movement with a huge following.

This is album number six, a seventh has just been completed and is due out later this year and features some guest performers.

The booklet contains a short Sci-Fi story by respected Steampunk/Fantasy author LM Cooke and tells of the bands adventures in space.

Onwards to the music...

 'A Great Night Out' has an upbeat Rock 'N' Roll feel, the lyrics are just awesome, funny and a tad gross, a night out on the pull clearly didn't go as planned!

Some funky fuzz bass work for 'Pay To Play' tells the tale that every musician will be used to, club owner takes the money you "may" get a beer if lucky.

'John Deer Cap' is a slow, Doom laden brooding piece with fantastic harmony vocals, the song explodes towards the end.

Well now 'Hairy Teeth' brings together some of those amazing qualities that make the band so unique, beautiful vocal delivery, slightly off beat drumming, screaming bass work full of fuzz and laden with swamp blues slide work.

BB go old school punk rock for 'Nazi Gold' if it were possible for Discharge to record with say Cream,  then I guess it could sound like this one!

More heavy funk with melodic vocals and a tale of the human cost of drug addiction.

Loving the slow near acoustic sounding 'A Star', songs builds with minimal instrumentation to create quite a stunning overall sound, hints of psychedelia give it another layer to contend with.

'To The Light' has a dub feel, kind of reminds me of The Stranglers 'Peaches'.

Now Dale sings "I want to write a great song, not the same old shit" on 'A Great Song', the joke here might be that despite the comic delivery and the slightly off key, weird jazz meets a touch of Death Metal music it is well "A great song!"

Heavy Jazz rhythms, funked and fuzzy bass work, another great vocal performance and an excellent punch line to end 'Good People Of The World'.

'Kings' is a masterclass in how to take very serious and angry lyrics and merge them perfectly with melodic and heavy music, whilst 'Groupie' with its tongue in cheek lyrics prove that you can get near the mark, or perhaps go a tad further and still produce class.

The four live tracks are great, full of energy and that bass sound live is to die for, heavy fuzzed out, stoner/doom/psych, what a band!

Rating 10/10

For Fans Of: Mudhoney, Primus, Melvins, Electric Wizard, Monster Magnet

LINKS:

Steampunk Records

BB Black Dog (Facebook)

Giant Dwarf - Giant Dwarf (CD Review)

Giant Dwarf – Giant Dwarf

01.Golden Walrus 

02.Black Thumb     

03.Disco Void         

04.Kepler     

05.Repeat After Defeat   

06.Strange Wool   

07.High Tide Blues

08.The Deluge

Aaron Soppo (Vocals)

Luke Drag (Drums / Percussion)

S John Paterson (Bass)

Rick (Guitar / Sitar)

Russ Tee (Guitar / Didgeridoo)

From the capital of Western Australia, Perth, Giant Dwarf were founded sometime in 2015 by musicians obsessed with all things fuzzy, heavy, psychedelic, drone, progressive and weird (you know, the good stuff!).

‘Golden Walrus’ is nice and fuzzy, full of punchy riffs and melodic vocals and plods along at a nice pace, nothing outstanding as such, but then half way through it starts getting weird adding a nice new dimension then ends.

As for the second track ‘Black Thumb’ it has the feel of Deep Purples ‘Black Night’ being covered by Queens of the Stone Age.

Get that QOTSA feel from the next one as well, that said ‘Disco Void’ gets a real psychedelic hit and requires the volume level at max!

‘Kepler’ is a sonic blasting masterpiece of fuzz, stoner rock melting into space rock, the general vibe of which continues to the next track as well.

Loving the instrumental ‘Strange Wool’ a real heavy, fuzzy blues piece, unlike the next track ‘High Tide Blues’ which is neither blues or a tribute to the band High Tide, but another straight forward rocker.

Ending with another full on sonic blast is ‘The Deluge’ a space rocker, searing guitar work, great vocals, rhythmic drum patterns and clever use of sitar.

Rating 9/10

For Fans Of: Monster Magnet, Queens of the Stone Age, Uncle Acid & Deadbeats, Electric Wizard, Mudhoney.

Negative Wall - Gammagelu (CD Review)

01. Imperii Exsules (Galacatic Viatores)
02. Hybrid Genus Serpentis
03. Mater Saeva Kp22
04. Torquemada 71

Don Cole (Guitar)
Dennis Reid (Drums)
Tommy Stewart (Vocals/Bass)

Negative Wall formed in 2018 as a trio from different bands. Don Cole (Blacklight Midnight), Dennis Reid (Bludy Gyres, Tommy Stewart’s Dyerwulf, Blacklight Midnight) and Tommy Stewart (Hallows Eve, Bludy Gyres, Tommy Stewart’s Dyerwulf). After only seven writing rehearsals Negative Wall enters the studio and records Gammagelu, latin for the frost of gamma, in only seven more days. 

Gammagelu is sci-fi themed so the three songs lyrics lean towards that description. Imperii Excules (Exiled Imperials) is inspired by an Outer Limits episode about The Zanti Misfits. The next track is a bizarre story called Hybrid Genus Serpentis about a reptilian being who forces sex with a space traveler who then gives birth to a being that encases him in a capsule that opens when he is the only living creature left in the universe. The third track is an old Irish folk song turned into a doom-blues snapshot called Et Mater Saeva (The Cruel Mother) and concerns matricide, planet KP22 as the setting. The last song is an Electric Wizard cover of Torquemada 71 (From 2007 Witchcult Today), while not sci-fi, it stylistically fits and simply a band favorite.

We begin with 'Imperii Exsules (Galacatic Viatores)', this is pure doom perfection! Solid slow pounding drums back the guitar and bass working in dark harmony. Talking of harmony the vocals are sublime.
Two thirds into the song and all goes quiet, then this descends into a slow almost psychedelic section held together with some great bass playing.

'Hybrid Genus Serpentis' sticks with that early proto doom meets psych feel and offers up a masterclass of how it should be done, if it had synthesizer and saxophone it could almost be an early Hawkwind track.

The blues influence really comes through on 'Mater Saeva Kp22' but then thanks to a raga like rhythm from the drum and percussion it bears the mark of late 1960's artists such as 'Clarke-Hutchinson'.
Some near demonic effects on the vocals evoke early occult rock and the Doom is boosted by some furious guitar work.

Finally they take on Electric Wizard's 'Torquemada 71' and make it fit perfectly to end this great record!

Rating 9/10
For Fans Of: Cathedral, Electric Wizard, Reverend Bizarre, Moss, Monster Magnet, Witchcraft

Misty Grey - Chapter II (CD Review)

01. Spellbound
02. Strangers On A Train
03. Psycho
04. Rebecca
05. Frenzy
06. The Wrong Man
07. Among The Dead

Juan (Guitar)
Javi (Drums)
Robin (Bass)
Bea (Vocals)

Spanish group Misty Grey have tried to capture their passion for classic doom metal and it would seem the movies of Alfred Hitchcock for their latest album.

The band formed back in 2011 from the ashes of ‘Simon Del Desierto’ a doom band with a passion for the surrealist Luis Bunuel.

The ideas of film inspired music continued and with their original vocalist Malicia, they released a self titled album in 2016, song titles included ‘High Noon’ and ‘Dead Zone’. Earlier releases were a mixture of movie inspired songs and cover versions from some of their influences including ‘Pentagram’ and ‘Witchfinder General’.

With new vocalist ‘Bea’ they have set out to create an entire album with a single movie theme, in case you are thinking that “Hitch” never did a film called ‘Among The Dead’ it is in fact the title of the book that ‘Vertigo’ is based on.

What do we get by way of tribute to Mr Hitchcock?
Well seven slabs of amazing sounding proto-doom meets occult Psychedelia, superbly executed growling fuzzed out guitar playing, pounding bass and drums.

Very much in that early 1970’s style, not the clinical modern doom or some death growled funeral style, this all flows, yes it has the classic rhythms but with hints of heavy metal, classic rock and psychedelic rock all carefully added.

As to the vocal style, it is haunting, dare I say almost witch like, evil yet seductive.
My personal favourite is ‘Frenzy’, one of the albums slower tracks, great guitar work and then slows down enough to allow an exceptional vocal performance to ring out, full of menace and suspense.

Rating 9/10
For fans of: Blood Ceremony, Purson, Electric Wizard, Pentagram  

The Sabbathian - Latum Alterum (CD Review)

01. Requiem…
02. The Brightest Light
03. Liti Kjersti
04. Head Of A Traitor
05. One Night Of Cruelty
06. Embrace The Dark
07. Evig Hvile Libera Me…

Anette Uvaas Gulbrandsen (Vocals)
Joey Downs (Guitars)
Chad Davis (Guitars/Bass/Drums)

Guest
Liv Kristine (Vocals)

 US-Norwegian project The Sabbathian, formed by Chad Davis (Hour of 13) and Anette Uvaas Guldbrandsen (Nàttsòl), released their debut EP Ritual Rites on Svart Records in 2014.
Their debut album is scheduled for release on January 25th on LP, digital and limited double CD (including Ritual Rites EP on CD for the first time).
The album is a considerably darker affair compared to the EP, a step away from the origins of doom metal and towards the heavier sounds of bands such as Bathory or Candlemass.
Vocalist Anette describes the album thus: "The overall theme can be described as slightly morbid, as it is very much about passing over to the other side - latum alterum. The odd one out is the song Embrace The Dark, which retains the sound of the EP.”

Well after the first play of what seemed to be a stunning mix of epic symphonic doom mastery I completely forgot to write any notes, so looks like I shall have to play it again and try to avoid just cranking up the volume and enjoying this quite so much.

With an intro that sounds like something ‘Clannad’ would produce we are then lead into
‘The Brightest Light’ which has this raw and alive sound of guitar and drums at full volume pounding out this superb Doom laden wall of energy. Then cutting through this is just the most amazing melancholic and beautiful vocal.
This absolute perfect mix of energy and melody continues track after track.

‘Embrace The Dark’ has a much darker feel, very “occult psych” in it’s stunning delivery and then the final song also gives us a slightly different sound, symphonic goth doom perhaps? I’m not sure but it’s as amazing as every other track.

To be honest you can tag this with whatever genre you want to as long as the tag says AWESOME!

I have listened to a lot of music that’s calls itself Doom, Occult Rock etc over the years and this is by far the best I have heard.

Rating 10/10
For Fans Of: Coven, Alunah, Blood Ceremony, Devil’s Blood, Lucifer, Death Penalty

Witchthroat Serpent - Swallow The Venom (Album Review)

Witchthroat Serpent – Swallow The Venom

01. Feu Sacre

02. Lucifer’s Fire

03. Pauper’s Grave

04. The Might Of The Unfailing Source

05. Scorpent Serpion

06. Hunt For The Mountebank

07. Red Eyed Albino

08. No More Giant Octopussies 

Fredrik Bolzann (Vocals/Guitar)

Lo Klav (Bass)

Niko Lass (Drums)

French band formed in 2011 who mix psychedelia and stoner influences to create their doom laden music.

Their latest album mixes pagan chants and aggressive trance like passages split into eight consciousness-expanding tracks, thus creating a dangerous expedition into the nether regions of esoteric doom metal, filled with strange mind-altering plants, low frequencies and rites of strange cults.

This album pretty much ticks every box when it comes to well executed Doom.
From the opening haunting chant it becomes a relentless demonstration of power through fuzzed out guitar, mournful vocals, solid bass work and pounding drum patterns.

But there is clearly more to this bands take on the genre, for one thing it stays away from the often typical and tired sounds of bands trying to be some sort of Sabbath clone.
Take ‘Lucifer’s Fire’ with its feedback and distorting intro mixed with atmospheric guitar, then rest of the music kick’s in, yet retains a certain hint of early Celtic Frost, half way through the music breaks down to a different rhythm with added ambient backing and what sounds like keyboards.

Each song is given this amazing raw yet refined production, simply put, this is a perfect modern Doom album.

Rating 10/10
For Fans Of: Electric Wizard, Cathedral, Serpent Venom, Witchsorrow, Triptykon

Vanishing Kids - Vanishing Kids (CD Review)

Vanishing Kids – Vanishing Kids

01. Creation
02. Heavy Dreamer
03. Without A Sun
04. Mockingbird
05. Eyes Of Secrets
06. Reaper
07. Rainbows
08. Magnetic Magenta Blue


Nikki Drohomyreky (Vocals/Organ/Synths/ Percussion)
Jason Hartman (Guitar)
Jerry Sofran (Bass)
Hart Allan Miller (Drums)

Vanishing Kids has been an ever evolving artistic and musical journey since the early 2000’s with core members and founder’s Jason Hartman (Jex Thoth), and Nikki Drohomyreky on vocals.
Having grown up on metal, prog rock, Krautrock, psych, punk and goth, they have managed to carve out a niche of their own for themselves.

The band's newest and most powerful culmination arose when Jason Hartman’s childhood hero and Midwest metal, legend, Jerry Sofran (Lethal Heathen, Mirrored Image) joined in 2013.
Soon they completed the line up with, Hart Allan Miller (Wartorn, Deathwish, Tenement) on drums.

‘Creation’ starts with a rumbling Harsh Noise before blasting into a sumptuous blend of gothic tinged Doom, flowing into near progressive territory.
Layered vocals float through the music bringing haunting melody to balance out the well produced heavy music.

The opening keyboard riff to ‘Heavy Dreamer’ reminds me of ‘It’s A Beautiful Day’s’ ‘Bombay Calling’.
Really loving the mellow progressive feel and some stunning guitar work.

You know track three comes pounding its way through my speakers, ‘Without A Sun’ just a stunning ambient piece, again fantastic guitar work, great drumming and that vocal, just wow!

After more of the same high quality songs we end (all too soon!) with ‘Magnetic Magenta Blue’ a five minute epic.
Where to start? Slow intro, melodic guitar and synth work (reminiscent of Gong’s Tim Blake), add in some weird “Wah-Wah” effects, then such an angelic yet dark vocal appears.
Half way through and it just bursts with energy, oh and yet again more awesome guitar work.

Rating 10/10
For Fans Of: Jex Thoth, Amon Duul II, Purson, Coven, Nico, Hawkwind, ID Company

Alunah - Amber and Gold EP (CD Review)

Alunah – Amber and Gold

01. Mangata
02. Amber & Gold
03. Awn
04. Wicked Game

David Day (Guitar)
Sian Greenaway (Vocals)
Jake Mason (Drums)
Daniel Burchmore (Bass)

Midlands based Doom band, formed in 2006 by vocalist and guitarist Sophie Day.
Over the next decade they toured constantly and released four albums and a couple of singles.
In November 2017, Day decided to leave the band and was replaced by Greenaway.

New line up has just released their debut EP and first up to blast my speakers is, ‘Mangata’ which acts as an “intro” to ‘Amber & Gold’ and a chance to hear what’s on offer.
It is good, typical slow pounding rhythms, solid bass work, great guitar playing and a deep, dark and enchanting vocal delivery.

‘Awn’ is more of the same; they have a great sound with a production that allows the music to sound live.

Just hoping that this is not the Chris Isaak song as the last track is called ‘Wicked Game’.
Unfortunately it IS that song, so I do like the original and always thought that HIM gave it their “Love-Metal” treatment to update the sound, but a Doom version?
So (as with any review) I have to take a personal view, I really don’t think it starts off well, the guitar almost sounds out of tune trying to replicate the higher notes of the original, BUT, oh yes suddenly it all goes quiet and then when the vocal comes in, suddenly they have doomed the song (Err “Love-Doom” anyone?) with slow almost ambient backing, then when the guitar comes in the rhythm and style is based more on the Him version and somehow they manage to bring it all together for a crescendo of superb playing at the end.

Neat little EP, look forward to a full length album sometime next year.

Rating 9/10
For Fans Of: Death Penalty, Lucifer (Gaz Jennings), The Slow Death, Blood Ceremony.


UK Tour Dates for the rest of the year:
03 November - The Green Room, Welwyn Garden City
17 November - Asylum 2, Birmingham
01 December - The Rigger, Stoke
08 December - The Swan, Ipswich

The Octopus - Supernatural Alliance (Album Review)

Octopus – Supernatural Alliance

Track List:
01. The Centre
02. Supernatural Alliance
03. Slave & Master
04. Strike (While The Iron Is Hot)
05. Child Of Destiny (Inaugural Trilogy, Part 3)
06. The Unknown
07. Sword & The Stone
08. All The Love (Fleetwood Mac)
09. Black Dynamite
10. Dragonhead


Masha Marjieh (Vocals)
J Frezzato (Guitar)
Matt O’Brien (Bass)
Chuck Burns(Drums)
Adam Cox (keyboards)

Detroit rock band formed in 2008 by guitarist J Frezzato (ex-Electric Six) and vocalist Masha Marjieh. Drawing on inspiration from the book ‘The Octopus’ by Kenn Thomas and Jim Keith (so not the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League then) the duo set about writing songs and putting together a band.

It seemed that the band had no overall style or direction; this allowed them to create music without any need for a “label”.

What is perhaps the most surprising thing here is that this is in fact their debut release and on the highly respected Rise Above Records.

Opening with ‘Beyond The Centre’, we are instantly treated to a classic keyboard driven piece reminiscent of Uriah Heep.

From that point onwards it really is the early 70’s that dominates, until that is we come to ‘The Unknown’ a solid five minutes of slow and inspired proto doom with some soaring and haunting vocals.

After some rock & roll comes the even more haunting ‘Fleetwood Mac’, should perhaps point out that this has little to do with the legendary blues rockers turned west coast superstars,
I would say that this has more in common with a late 60’s occult rock vibe mixed with some jazz rock and a vocal along the lines of Black Sabbath’s ‘Planet Caravan’.

This octopus is in danger of being overlooked, do not make that mistake, this is quite simply a classic rock album that deserves attention!

Rating 9/10
For Fans Of: Purson, Uriah Heep, (Early) Black Sabbath, Coven, Jefferson Airplane

Slow Worm - The Inverse Ascent (CD Review)

01.Crypt Of The Vultures
02.Farther
03.Ego Twin Chrysalis
04.Where I Creep, The Light Is Shy



Tommy Tit (Guitar)
Samuel Esuna Root (Bass)
George Sanderon (Drums)
Max Mead (Guitar)
Alan O'Neill (Vocals)

Leicester based band formed in 2011, described as "Melodic weavers of cosmic despair, gazers into the occult dream void".

Starting with the 9 minute 'Crypt Of The Vultures' we are treated to a doom laden monster with soaring vocals. So lets just take a minute here and say "hoofuckinray!" because its real singing, not the usual grunts and growls, word written to be heard!
As the song progresses the music takes a huge leap back in time to the days of early proto doom/heavy prog.

For the first 5 minutes of 'Farther' we are treated to more of the same, the last 3 minutes are a much more laid back, spacey and psychedelic, basically one synth short of classic Hawkwind.

The oddly titled 'Ego Twin Chrysalis' is an epic trip through psych/doom, with some grunt vocals thrown in (but in this case they work well). This is 13 minutes of pure listening pleasure, quite beautiful with the harmony and guitar at times.
Towards the end the speed picks up, meaning that somehow they have managed to throw everything into this one, and it worked!

Finally 'Where I Creep, The Light Is Shy', this is a very ambient keyboard piece, an eerie, creepy and uneasy soundtrack to some long forgotten underground italian horror movie from the 1970's! Amazing stuff!!!

Rating 10/10
For fans of: Cathedral, Lucifer, Bloody Hammers, Uncle Acid & Deadbeats, Selim Lamouchi

Deadhand - Storm Of Demiurge (CD Review)

01.Resign To Complacency
02.Ground To Ash
03.Trailed By Wolves
04.Storm Of Demiurge
05.1-13-12
06.The Last King



Matt (Guitar/Vocals)
Clifton (Guitar/Vocals)
Stephen (Bass)
Shannon (Keyboards/Vocals)
J.R. (Drums)

American doom band who formed in 2013 dont seem to have any sort of bio just some blurb that reads: "Deadhand collective is The creation of self without the acknowledgement of hidden hands. No homage needs to be paid for the labor of dead men. We are not the traveled path nor the heavy wood ahead.We are still, settled into the present. Our altars are our own two feet and the tops are scattered words and actions that make up our present form".

A good mix of psychedelic/space rock sounds over vocal samples introduce 'Resign To Complacency', progression of the song brings dark vocal growls all mixed in with keyboards and a solid doom influenced backing.

Funeral Doom is the basis for'Ground To Ash', simple and uncompromised until we get near the end for some melodic and laid back guitarwork.

Next is the epic 14 minutes of 'Trailed By Wolves', this is a surprisngly laid back and highly melodic piece full of beautiful guitar playing.

'Storm Of Demiurge' is another well executed song which then leads into a nice litle instrumental '1-13-12'
Finally 'The Last King' another great mix of psychedelia/doom and prog, lots of clever and well thought out timing chnages, solid drumwork and just generally a brilliant song!

Rating 9/10
For fans of: Saturn, Pohjoinen, Hela, Cathedral, Albez Duz, Witchcraft

Albez Duz - The Coming Of Mictlan (CD Review)

01.Heaven´s Blind
02.Fire Wings
03.Mictlan
04.Feathered Snake
05.Drowned
06.Servants Of Light
07.Twist In My sobriety


Impurus (Instruments)
Alfonso Brito Lopez (Vocals)

German occult/doom band formed in 2002 by Impurus initally as a side project to his other band 'Dies Ater'.Eventually in 2009 it became a full time band.
The blurb from the record company says:
"Accordingly diversified are the influences Albez Duz assimilates for their unique Occult Doom Rock: early Paradise Lost, Tiamat and My Dying Bride provide for a melancholic yet powerful felling whereas bands like Pink Floyd, Hawkwind or Black Widow were the inspiration for the spiritual impact. The band considers itself as unity that consequently abstains from any names and rather focuses on their artistic performance than on image and personality cult. Albez Duz is not about being innovative at any cost but about bridging towards the past, a path back to instinctiveness and the picking up of a nostalgic atmosphere".


The opening song 'Heaven's Blind' is an ambient and atmospheric composition of simple sound effects, drum and spoken word and haunting backing vocals.

'Fire Wings' on the other hand is a modern gothic doom workout, heavy riffs and pounding drums, layered keyboards and a vocal reminiscent of Peter Steel.

With some epic heavy organ playing 'Mictlan' has an almost late 1960's proto doom feel.
Again with the vocals and you cannot help but draw that Peter Steel comparison again, especially when the music picks up the pace its "Type O", great psych guitar solo and some swirling synth thrown in as well, this one pretty much has everything you could want!

'Feathered Snake' offers more of the same and then comes the very floydian 'Drowned' almost the opening chords to wish you were here, but this is darker and nothing short of stunning!

Weird synth sounds for 'Servants Of Light', give way to tortured screams, huge drum sound and then a full on heavy rock riff comes in and takes the music in a different direction for a while before down turning into a slow doom laden piece complete with a sitar.

You know for years i always thought that Tinata Tikaram's goth folk song 'Twist In My Sobriety' could be turned into a heavy doom song and now they have done it, and yes it is bloody epic!!!

Rating 10/10
For fans Of: Type O Negative, Cathedral, My Dying Bride, Tiamat, Blood Ceremony

Majestic Downfall & The Slow Death - Split Album (CD review)

Majestic Downfall
01.The Dark Lullaby
02.Renata
03.Obsidian

Jacobo Córdova (All instruments)


The Slow Death
04.Criticality Incident I
05.Criticality Incident II
06.People Like Me

Stuart Prickett (Guitar/keyboards/Vocals)
Mandy Andresen (Vocals/keyboards)
Gregg Williamson (Vocals)
Yonn McLaughlin (Drums)
Brett Campbell (Guitar)
Dan Garcia (Bass)


So split album means i have to mess with my usual layout for reviews, here goes..
Majestic Downfall

After playing for more than 10 years in Mexico´s ANTIQUA, a Death/Doom band that toured

all over the country. Jacobo decided to part ways with the band in august 2006 and form a new Doom Metal project that would be a One Man journey to recapture the feeling of the 90s European Doom Metal scene, while mixing it with some more modern Doom Metal overtones.

'The Dark Lullaby' mixes death metal vocal with doom/stoner guitar to create a 13 minute song laden with melodic riffs and doomy powerchords, the pace is quite upbeat for a doom song, the same applies to 'Renata'.

'Obsidian' at times is more full on death metal with frantic drumming and riffs over screaming vocals, the song has some nice breakdowns in the mix over some sludge chords.

Rating 8/10
For Fans Of: Wolvserpent, Serpetine Path, Dread Sovereign


The Slow Death

Australian band formed in 2007 by Stuart Prickett, Mandy Andresen (Ex Murkrat)and Gregg Williamson as a doom/death recording project. The first self titled cd was recorded and released in 2008 to good reviews. In 2010 Yonn Mclaughlin joined as drummer and the second album recordings began. 'II' was again, self released in April 2012. In November 2012 Dan Garcia and Brett Campbell joined the band, and writing of the 3rd album was completed.

Opening like an old Pink Floyd track 'Criticality Incident I' is a melodic prog epic, stunning and haunting vocals from Mandy, the drums keep the slow doom pace, matched by the solemn guitars, then this dark evil male vocal kicks in, after which the pace suddenly picks up to create some awesome prog metal sounds.

'Criticality Incident II' opts for a more traditional doom sound, but with some symphonic keyboards mixed in, again it is the vocals which really stand out.

'People Like Me' has a dark psychedelic/doom vibe, beautiful sounds come through the speakers, real quality from this band!

Rating 10/10
For Fans Of: Blood Ceremony, Purson, Coven, Cathedral, Bloody Hammers

Selim Lemouchi & His Enemies - Earth, Air, Spirit, Fire, Water (CD Review)

01.Chiaroscuro
02.Next Stop Universe B
03.The Ghost Of Valentine
04.The Deep Dark Waters
05.Molasses


Selim Lemouchi (Various)
Ries Doms(Drums)
Micha Haring (Drums)
Hans van de Perre (Drums)
Hansz Deijnen (Drums)
Job van de Zande (Bass)
Milko Bogaard (Vocals/Mini Moog/Mellotron)
Robby Geerings (FX/Drum-Synth/Guitar)
Oeds Beydals (Guitar)
Farida Lemouchi (Vocals)

“For what is Art if not the manipulation of Reality into what the Artist wills it to be. What is Art if not Magic?"

Since the demise of The Devil's Blood, Selim Lemouchi, has been on a journey of musical and self discovery; the results of which have been poured into this five track album. Unrestricted by traditional band or song structures, Earth Air Spirit Fire Water is a genre-defying creation.

Earth Air Spirit Fire Water was brought into being  with four drummers, a handful of guitar players, a few synthesizer players, several vocalists, a great cover-artist and many, many hours that were filled with laughter, tears, anger and spiritual communion.

The Devil's Blood were a band steeped in late 60's early 70's occult psych/rock, clearly since parting Selim has taken a different approach, from the opening of the first track we get treated to a sermon delivered with venom then the song starts and actually has quite a psychedelic feel, not unlike old style Hawkwind.In fact this style remains for the second song as well.

When 'The Ghost Of Valentine' hits the speakers we get more of what i expected, a simple ambient piece of electronica, beautiful synth playing with long sweeping notes running throughout.

The ghost of early Pink Floyd can be heard in 'The Deep Dark Waters' with some Bauhaus thrown in for good measure and it all ends with some great guitar work.

Ending with 'Molasses' and massive prog rock workout at 13 minutes, laden with piercing synths, guitar riffs, haunting vocals and even jazz elements.

Rating 8/10
For fans Of : Hawkwind, Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, Can

Bloody Hammers - Spiritual Relics (CD Review)

01.Whats Haunting You
02.At The Well Of Nazareth
03.The Transit Begins
04.The Source
05.Colour Me Blood Red
06.Night Of The Long Knives
07.Shiver
08.Flesh Of The Lotus
09.Path Of Sorrows
10.Science Fiction

Anders Manga (Vocals/Bass)
Devallia (Organ)
Zoltan Von Bury (Guitar)
Doza (Drums)

American doomsters BLOODY HAMMERS have completed work on their sophomore LP titled Spiritual Relics. This is the follow up to the North Carolina occult metal band's critically celebrated, eponymously titled debut and boasts ten titanic tracks revolving around ironclad themes of classic horror, stories from the coven and chilling evil.

Produced by towering front man / bassist Anders Manga, Spiritual Relics builds on the strong wall of sound BLOODY HAMMERS created on last year's debut.  The artwork was created by Brazillian artist, Caio Caldas.

Named in homage to the singularly atomic Roky Erickson & The Aliens song of the same name, BLOODY HAMMERS' hallucinatory heavy music has been called "a psych / hard rock / horror fan's dream come true."

This is a slab of 10 fuzzed out psych/doom monsters, very much with a nod back to late 60's early 70's sounds created by bands like Blue Cheer with that occult sound created by the legendary Coven.

At times some beautiful guitarwork and haunting vocals mix in with the more traditional heavy drum and powerchord that you expect when the word doom is mentioned.

Rating 10/10

For fans of : Cathedral, Purson, Electric Wizard, Moss, Jex Thoth, Uncle Acid & Deadbeats

Blood Ceremony - The Eldritch Dark (CD Review)

01.Witchwood
02.Goodbye Gemini
03.Lord Summerisle
04.Ballad Of The Weird Sisters
05.The Eldritch Dark
06.Drawing Down The Moon
07.Faunus
08.The Magician


Alia O'Brien (Vocals/Flute/Organ)
Sean Kennedy (Guitar)
Lucas Gadke (Bass)
Michael Carrillo (Drums)

Canadian doom metal band formed in 2006, their "flute tinged witch rock" harking back to late 60's occult band's Coven and the early 70's british band Saturnalia, mixed with the early doom of Black Widow and the folk of Jethro Tull has made them quite unique.

Since the release of their highly acclaimed 2011 album, Living With the Ancients, Blood Ceremony has been recognised as an internationally regarded live act. Having played main support to Ghost on the majorly successful '13 Dates of Doom' US tour, they concluded their debut headline European tour with a sell-out show in London.

After these live performances, Blood Ceremony enclosed themselves within a dank, tomb-like chamber to begin preparations for their third album. After a mind-numbing spell in the analogue womb of Toronto's ProGold Studios, the band is now ready to unveil their newest, and most accomplished, musical offering: The Eldritch Dark.

Recorded and mixed by producer Ian Blurton (Cauldron, Cursed) and mastered by Canadian recording legend Nick Blagona (Deep Purple, Rainbow, Crazy World of Arthur Brown), The Eldritch Dark is a full-length paean to the darker corners of folklore and legend. Containing eight tracks of black magic rock 'n' roll, the album crackles with the excitement of a nocturnal ritual.

Tales of witch-cult gatherings in wooded glens, pacts made in torch-lit abbeys and Victorian magic are accompanied by vintage-style hard rock riffs, snaking bass lines and stirring flute melodies.

The Eldritch Dark also sees the band exploring a more folkier side of their sound; most evident in the hymn-like 'Lord Summerisle' and the murderous early Fairport Convention tinged folk-rock epic 'Ballad Of The Weird Sisters'.

'Goodbye Gemini' is almost psychedelic bringing to mind Jefferson Airplane, similar in style is 'Drawing Down The Moon' where the Doors seem to be jamming with Tony Iommi.
19th century sorcerer, Oliver Haddo, makes a return appearance in the riff-hypnotic album
closer 'The Magician' an 8 minute epic worthy of any Jethro Tull fans attention.

Rating 10/10

For Fans Of : Purson, Black Widow, Jethro Tull, Coven, Fuchsia

Purson - The Circle And The Blue Door (CD Review)

01.Wake Up Sleepy Head
02.The Contract
03.Spiderwood Farm
04.Sailor's Wife's Lament
05.Leaning On A Bear
06.Tempest And The Tide
07.Mavericks And Mystics
08.Well Spoiled Machine
09.Sapphire Ward
10.Rocking Horse
11.Tragic Catastrophe

Rosalie Cunningham (Vocals/Guitar)
George Hudson (Guitar)
Samuel Shove (Organ/Mellotron/Wurlitzer)
Barnaby Maddick (Bass)
Jack Hobbs (Drums)

Rosalie Cunningham is an English singer-songwriter who started in the band Ipso Facto in 2007 who released a number of records till they split in 2009.

Cunningham has also been working with other bands such as Magazine as a backing vocalist, appearing on stage with them on tours and the BBC Electric Proms and on Later... with Jools Holland.
She also played keyboards from January to May 2010 with These New Puritans on their tours of the album, Hidden.

In 2011 she formed the self styled "Vaudeville Carny Psych" band Purson and began working on recordings and playing gigs, though she found time in 2012 to play guitar with Willy Moon, as the support act for Jack White's UK tour.

This album has presented me with a number of problems, im not usually short of things to say, but such is the complexity and damn right brilliance of this work that im not sure what else to say!

I have seen a few other reviews of this and often seen Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple mentioned, not sure why really maybe because their is an old keyboard sound or perhaps the folk element present in some of the songs?

Sure as hell isnt for any other reason, i mean here is an album released in 2013 that sounds like it was made 40 years ago, so its not so much a new album looking back but in some weird twist of time related weirdness an album from 1973 that is looking forward.

From the opening of 'Wake Up Sleepy Head' with its haunting vocals, sweet acoustic guitar and what sounds like a flute blended with organ and wurlitzer, which then leads into a Hawkwind-ish bass line for the next song 'The Contract', its all mellow and purely in that classic acid-folk genre as bands like Tudor Lodge, Comus, The Trees etc.

Heavy freak out guitarwork and keyboards greet 'Spiderwood Farm' this one rubs shoulders with Coven, Saturnailia and Savage Rose.
Then comes the whimsical 'Sailor's Wife's Lament' very reminiscent of Sandy Denny and the kind of thing All About Eve tried to achieve with their Martha's Harbour ep many years ago.

The next song is the most commercially accessible (hence the video release) called 'Leaning On A Bear' its like Shocking Blue jamming with Curved Air.

'Tempest And The Tide' rocks a folkish vibe with a degree of etheral strangeness Pentangle meets Atomic Rooster perhaps?

For 'Mavericks And Mystics' the vocal reminds me of an old King Crimson song, whilst the music could be early Tyrannosaurus Rex.The bit at the end is weird just throwing in a touch of Fifty Foot Hose.

I recognise a Doors keyboard riff running through 'Well Spoiled Machine' and some Jefferson Airplane in the songs overall concept.

'Sapphire Ward' has a funky rock feel, definately a touch of Jill Seward (Fusion Orchestra) fronting early Judas Priest.

More haunting sounds for 'Rocking Horse', great vocals and some amazing phased instrumentation.

Ending with 'Tragic Catastrophe' that occult-psych feel returns.
Perhaps more importantly the title sums up my attempts to review this with any real clarity!?

Rating 10/10

For Fans Of (Every band i have mentioned in the review) AND : The Devils Blood, Jex Thoth, Blood Ceremony


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