CENTIPEDE - Sarnath

Centipede, a three piece stoner metal band from Helsinki. I hadn't heard of them before this promo was sent to me but according to their bandcamp page they've been EPing for a few years now. Sarnath is their debut album. I didn't know any of this stuff before I pressed play. I like to listen to my albums the way I like to see my movies: knowing as little as possible going in.

DROWN - This is the first single from the album so I've not only heard it, I've been listening to it quite a bit lately. Just a good heavy mid-tempo romper with some nice propulsion. Vocals are more coal than diamond which suits the tone here. Good song.

THE UNSPOKEN - Tempo gets turned up here. Driving tune. Yeah, this one's likely to generate a speeding ticket or two. My ex got two speeding tickets which resulted in her licence getting suspended. The first time was when I put on a Motorhead CD. The second time was when she was alone and the Motorhead CD came on the disc changer. This doesn't sound like Motorhead but it builds up that chugging momentum in a powerful way. Very good tune.

FROSTBITE - More of the same. Nice chugging riff then a slow down for the chorus. Next song will be critical to see if the whole album is samey or not. I'm reserving judgement til then.

ABYSSAL - Downshifting here for a spell. Almost a "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" feel at the front of this one. One of two short, 2+ minute ditties. Sounds like an interlude. Nice change of pace actually. I don't normally dig interludes but this one actually adds to the album overall. Good creeping around an abandoned house vibe to it.

BLACK MEAD - Getting that samey vibe. I mean, they're all good songs, but Centipede doesn't give you any different looks. Which is rare for a Finnish band, they're usually all over the map. This band kind of reminds me of something I reviewed once for Stoner HiVe but I can't remember what it is ... it'll come to me ...

BEACON OF THE PROFANE - Grande, is the band I was thinking of and it was a review for Sludgelord. It's good stuff, but a bit too samey to truly enjoy the album as a whole, cohesive work. As much as I like these songs, you end up feeling like you've just listened to the same song 8 times over so it's unsatisfying. This one was a short, fast number.

MIDWINTER WOLVES - And here we come back down to earth a little with a slow intro ... and then the big straight ahead heavy rock moves. See, this is ironic. I know they don't mean to, but this band is shoving my musical tastes back down my throat. Oh, the verse is a slow down and the chorus whips things back up into midtempo territory. Anyway, I make it quite clear to everybody that knows me that I don't like the slow songs, but I'm finding myself pining away for more songs like this one. More tempo changes or something, anything! I think another part of the problem might be how consistent every instrument sounds in terms of tone. I don't know. I like the songs on the album, but listening to it in one sitting may be redundant. This makes for some excellent mix-tape / playlist fodder. I think you have to take this band piecemeal, but you'll be more than happy to do so.

SARNATH - And now we come to the title track. The big finish. Let's see what you got ... Nice beginning, floor tom and bass gives the intro a cavernous feel here. Yeah. Okay, fuck yeah, this is what I was talking about. The verse kicks in and for the first time in roughly 30 minutes I feel like I'm listening to a whole new song. This is good stuff, arguably the most doomy song on the album, it feels bigger and more fleshed out than the other tunes. The other tunes are a good time but this is the song you settle down with.

So there you have it, a good album, I rank them all as 5-star songs, yet paradoxically it's a 3 star album. Again, until the last track and the brief mid-album interlude, you feel like you've got one song on repeat when the album is taken in all at once. But break it up, spread it out and listen to it one song at a time on playlists or whatever and I guarantee you'll get a longer shelf life out of this thing.

Sarnath will be available March 4, 2016, a little over a week from now.

Centipede on facebook

GET IT HERE

Seremonia - Ihminen (album review)

Cover artwork by Seppo Kekäläinen.

Dead leaves scrape a nervous bone-dance across the splintered pavement in the chill breeze of night.  You adjust your collar as icy fingers tease the back of your neck.  You shudder.  Your pace quickens through the back alley as you check over your shoulder.  Nothing there.  You sigh in relief, turning your head back around as the hairs of your body begin to stand on end.  This is part of your fight or flight response, your body anticipating action, only it's too late.  The eerie eyed children are standing in front of you, blocking your path.  They have returned and this time they don't mean to menace you, they mean to destroy you.  This is Seremonia 2: the sequel.

On their second LP, Finnish quintet Seremonia is more direct, more to the point.  Where their self-titled debut wallowed in an anticipatory atmosphere, 'Ihminen' (Man or Human Being) is participatory, it delivers the coup de grace.  The dark and creepy vibes felt on the debut still show up on the follow-up, though not as often, like children as they grow up.  No, those creepy children staring up into bedroom windows on midnight streets from 'Seremonia'  [see the review here] have hit their teenage years and have become lost in their older siblings' punk records.

'Ihminen' is also a more substantial record than the first, tipping the scales at 11 songs and 42 minutes.  The first was a brisk, 10 song, 31 minute wham-bam affair that just never felt like enough.  It was like a Seinfeld episode where the band had to get in and get out as fast as possible while making as strong an impression as they could.  The songs on 'Ihminen' hang around a bit more and make merry.  It just so happens that Seremonia's idea of making merry pretty much resembles playfully popping eyeballs.  The opening riff of "Noitamestari" is like a declaration, the choppy, punky riff erupts like an electric needle in the eye of anybody expecting a dark and creepy melody.  I'm getting dangerously close to overstating the effect because this side of the band has always been nascent, though slow enough to disguise these leanings as doom.  The fact that this makes the album's "starting lineup" gives it the feel of a declaration.  And it's not just here, these sped-up punk leanings are apparent throughout the record.  It's somewhat ironic then that the songs on this album are so much bulkier than those on the self-titled.

Seremonia isn't content to simply punk it up from front to back on their sophomore album.  There's a host of styles on display, there's straight doom ["Itsemurhaaja"], folky moments ["Itsemurhaaja II"], the band's trademark creepy rock ["Hallava Hevonen" and "Ihminen"] and a Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd-ian track that takes the mood and elements of "Interstellar Overdrive" and crafts them into a more traditional song, and not just any song, but one of the standout tracks on the album ["Painajaisten Maa"].  The coming together of these styles with the emphasis on more uptempo numbers lends 'Ihminen' a strong Retro Rock flavor.  Finland has a few Retro Rock bands of their own, Dryasdust and Vinum Sabbatum among the best (and two of the best in the whole region of any style), Seremonia's latest album slots nicely into the category.  The lead-off single, released as a 7" single earlier in the year, "Ovi" is one of the punkier tracks on the album, but also has much of this Retro Rock appeal, as does it's follow-up on the album "Suuri Valkeus".  Seremonia's take on the sub-sub genre is tinted through the paisley colored lens of the sixties as opposed to the more typical hard rocking seventies stance taken by most bands in the field.

Finns are the life of the musical party.  Those nutty characters are always doing their own thing.  Seremonia is one of the nuttiest of them all.  On their second album, they seem to have settled down a little, adopting to a more traditional heavy rock sound, laying low on the highly suggestive atmospherics of their debut.  Perhaps this change was brought about to inject more energy into their live shows, I wouldn't know.  Either way, the change is a positive one, because the band hasn't abandoned their creepy side altogether.  Like creepy children, they have retained their familiar identity while adding layers and elements of a developing personality to become creepy teens and thus, Seremonia have turned in a hit sequel.

Highlights include: "Ovi" and "Ihminen"

Rating: 4.5/5



Tracklist:
1). Noitamestari (2:07)
2). Itsemurhaaja (5:27)
3). Ovi (2:50)
4). Suuri Valkeus (2:44)
5). Painajaisten Maa (7:16)
6). Luonto Kostaa (3:45)
7). Ihminen (3:32)
8). Itsemurhaaja II (3:36)
9). Vastaus Rukouksiisi (2:10)
10). Tähtien Takaa (4:11)
11). Hallava Hevonen (5:05)
Total Run Time: 42:38

Noora Federley - vocals
Teemu Markkula - guitar
Ville Pirinen - guitar
Erno Taipale - drums, flute
Ilkka Vekka - bass

From: Finland

Genre: Psychedelic, Doom, Hard Rock, Retro Rock, Punk

Reminds me of: Dryasdust, Pink Floyd

Release Date: October 18, 2013

Seremonia on facebook

GET IT HERE

You can also find 'Ihminen' on itunes.

Church of Void - Dead Rising (album review)

The rise of Finnish doom quintet Church of Void has seemed nothing less than meteoric.  Blasting onto the Paranoid radar with their 'Winter Is Coming' EP in late January (see my review), it was clear to me that this band meant business, took no prisoners and were one to watch.  It turns out, by the time I'd caught wind of their self-released EP, they'd already been snatched up by local underground giants Svart Records.  But, as always, what may seem like an overnight sensation on the surface is actually the culmination of a long process of discovery, some of which has been made by the band, some of which has been made of the band by the world at large.  The world will do well to take notice of Church of Void.

Where the 'Winter Is Coming' EP is a direct, four song, saber-rattling cavalry charge, 'Dead Rising' is a broader look at the battle as a whole.  Scenes of valor, bravery and tragedy are juxtaposed by war room tones, poring over maps and strategies.  Some of the nervous tension and white knuckled fury of the EP is missing, but 'Dead Rising' documents the maturing process of a band that is finding its voice.  Much like the overarching story of the original Robert E. Howard stories of his iron-thewed barbarian Conan, Church of Void's story so far (short and incomplete though it may be) is one of aggression boiling into maturity.  The blades flash and the skulls split, but there's a decisiveness of action here.  Fast blazing dungeon escapes are met with equal measure by throne room contemplation.  Often, like a good, full story, those scenes appear within the same song (see "Son of a Witch").

As for "Winter Is Coming", the song itself has been re-recorded for the album in a brisker version, retaining much the same feel, while as touched upon earlier, it sounds like a more composed and controlled performance.  It's a worthy inclusion to the album anyway and no matter how many times I've heard it, it still stands out here as one of the album's best tracks.  And because of its inclusion, you can hear how it has been a kind of blueprint for the band with its slow chugging, driving rhythms and wailing emotive guitars (this 'blueprint' is seemingly followed on "Entity of Kalypso" for example).  The song is made all the more poignant at this point in time because, yes, winter really is coming and I still can't think of anything more gloomy, doomy or frightening than that.

From there the albums opens onto what may be the fledgling band's magnum opus, the title track, 'Dead Rising'.  The natural, deeper qualities of vocalist Magus Corvus's voice find full expression here and he delivers with a memorable verse / chorus performance.  All the while, the guitars of Georgios Funeral and Adolf Darkschneider remain consistent, not only on the song "Dead Rising" but throughout the entire album, scratching out quality riff after quality riff.  The guitars aren't downtuned in extremis nor are they distorted out of all recognition and they are given pride of place in the mix.  The whole set-up smacks of a band that gives a shit about their own musicianship and if there's one thing to take from the album, it's the professionalism of it all.  I said in the beginning that this band means business, and I meant it!

And what you end up with is a full album which provides a full listening experience, not a single note hammered over and over again.  Those kind of one dimensional albums can be a great listening experience too and great for when you're writing fiction and need a particular feel to write a particular scene.  'Dead Rising' has all the hallmarks of a classic album.  Dynamics, variation, a multi-faceted approach to mood and tempo while all kept within the parameters of an identifiable sound with a strong emphasis on the heavy.  It's a sound that's firmly rooted in traditional doom and is very much a Finnish sound.  Church of Void give you your money's worth.

Highlights include: "Winter Is Coming" and "Dead Rising"

Rating: 4/5



Tracklist:
1). Tristess (2:53)
2). Son of a Witch (4:54)
3). Winter Is Coming (4:53)
4). Dead Rising (8:20)
5). Owls Are Listening (4:45)
6). The Magician (3:07)
7). Entity of Kalypso (6:12)
8). Little Child Lost (8:44)
Total Run Time: 43:45

Harley Warlock (Bass, backing vocals)
Byron Vortex (Drums)
Adolf Darkschneider (Lead Guitar)
Georgios Funeral (Rhythm Guitar)
Magus Corvus - Vocals

From: Jyväskylä, Finland

Genre: Traditional Doom

Reminds me of: Cardinals Folly, Cpt Kronos, Grave Siesta, The Wandering Midget

Release Date: August 30, 2013

Church of Void on facebook

GET IT HERE

OR HERE (digital)

Mansion - We Shall Live EP (album review)

There are plenty of good bands out there that play occult rock, Finland's Mansion plays 'cult rock'.  They are a six piece band, but for all that is known about them there could be a hundred of them, not all of them musicians, huddled together in a mansion somewhere in the frost-bitten north.  Only christian names are given, and just a few photos have emerged of the band while playing live.  They exist as a muted and esoteric secret, only paying homage to the world outside when they speak through their instruments.  'We Shall Live' is their first attempt to communicate their cryptic message to the masses.  Mansion's music is devotional music, non-traditional gospel that revives a dead religion for a new day and age.

When they do speak, a clean sound emerges.  Usually you associate doom with a scraggly aesthetic, ragged dark tones and lazy tempos.  Mansion's riffs are streamlined, satisfyingly doomy with gilded edges.  Vocals have an almost glossolalic tinge at times before settling into a more traditional rock and metal sound, in order to spread the message to the masses.

For the history buffs, there is reason to Mansion's madness.  The name of the band is taken from the surname of Alma Kartano who led a religious cult in Finland from the 1920s through to the 1950s, which was collectively known as Kartanoism.  Kartano is the Finnish word for Mansion and at its peak the Kartano cult could count about around a hundred devotees to its numbers.  The cult was notable for using children as preachers while apocalyptic feverishness mired the movement in a dour and lengthy period of waiting for the second coming.

According to their short bio, Mansion were "brought together to create strong music reflecting the life of the cult's followers".  Staying true to this vision, lead vocals are sung by a woman, also calling herself Alma, who takes on the spiritual essence of the original Alma.  Thick atmospheres of devotion greet the listener on first play with a lone organ and quiet vocals heralding opening track "Mother's Burden".  Right off the bat, this establishes a worshipful tone to the church of Mansion.  When you see the promo photos of the band surrounded by devotees and children with all present dressed in black sexless clothing, it's easy to get a 'cultish' vibe from this band.  As a matter of fact, I didn't realize Mansion's cult-like imagery was based on anything at all aside from an earnest drive to express themselves before I read their bio and still I was ready to have Mansion be cult-leaders for this review.  "Mother's Burden" is a true epic, rotating between killer riffs with driving tempos and that devotional sound that the band will soon become famous for, the band has a unique vision and they are able to impart that to listeners, even to those that don't know the actual history behind the band and their partial inspiration.

The religious overtones carry over into the title track and spill out across the second side of the EP.  Another trick of the trade that Mansion brings to the table are loose and stray bits of ambience between, in and around their songs which create an upright and attentive mental state before slamming in to listeners with those powerful riffs again.  Often, the band builds up a strong head of steam with their powerful riffs and solid tempos, before pulling the rug on listeners by cutting the speed of their songs by half and allowing the solid edges of the music to blur like solidified smoke breaking up.  The technique is not abrupt, is actually quite subtle and very nearly creates a true state of rapture or musical bliss (see "Sorrowless" for a prime example of this).

Of the four songs on this EP, "Slumber Sermon" is clearly the slowest of the bunch and brings those religious, monastic feelings to a head in a cataplectic dirge.  This is a very accomplished debut EP.  Based on the quality of riffs and the number of subtle musical techniques spread throughout, it plays out as though a lot of thought has been put into the music and makes this EP a whole and complete work.  I will definitely look forward to a full-length album from this band.  This is an incredibly solid introduction to a band with a unique vision.  The EP is available for pre-order on the band's bandcamp page (see link at bottom of page) and there are a number of preview tracks available for streaming there, check them out or repent!

Highlights include: "Mother's Burden" and "Sorrowless"

Rating: 4/5


Tracklist:
1). Mother's Burden (7:11)
2). We Shall Live (4:57)
3). Sorrowless (4:39)
4). Slumber Sermon (5:13)
Total Run Time: 21:59

Alma - Vocals & keyboards
Jaakob - Guitar
Immanuel - Bass
Veikko-Tapio - Guitar
Aleksanteri - Synths
Mikael -Drums & percussion

From: Finland

Genre: Doom, Gospel, Metal

Reminds me of: Demon Lung, Ghost, Sabbath Assembly, Seremonia

Release Date: 2013

Better Reviews:
Sleeping Shaman
Musikreviews.de in German

Musikreviews.de interview, also in German

Mansion on facebook

Read more about Kartanoism here

GET IT HERE

Fair Warning! Don't Miss ... Lovijatar

Don't let this Finnish folk outfit pass you by.  Tired of everything sounding the same?  Well, Lovijatar is like a 40 ounce cup of coffee taken intravenously!

PRESS INFO:

"12.2.2013 Helsinki

"Finnish Folk and Stoner Rock Band Lovijatar Released an Album Hämärän Kulkija

"Experienced musicians Jussi Rautio (Battlelore, Guitar) and Tommi Vaittinen (Elephant Bell, Vocals) felt a need to start to create music together. Lyrical inspiration would come from Finnish folk poetry,old believes and nature. Band called Lovijatar was born and it takes influences from progressive rock, folk and doom metal. Bands first release ‘Hämärän Kulkija’ was released in the beginning of 2013.

"Inspiration for lyrics made by Rautio and Vaittinen comes from Kalevala and other old Finnish folk poetry. Pieces of melodies have been taken from Carelian and Finnish folk requiems. These requiems have been recorded in the beginning of the 1900´s when the last traditional folk singers were alive.

"“We have picked themes from these dirges that feel natural and transformed those in to modern rock expression. Our goal is not to recreate some old folk music but to create totally new music that has echoes from the past centuries. We can not fully understand how people have felt and lived in the old forest societies but we are children of our time and we want to sound like that”, Says Rautio.

"Carelian keens or requiems (itkuvirsi) were performed in the old rituals that were connected to passing and transferring from one state of life to other one. For example a subject for a dirge could be a death of a close one or destiny of immigrant folks. Women with covered faces performed these songs at ceremonies. These songs have deep understanding towards life and what happens in a human soul. These song empowered members of Lovijatar to find a musical expression.

"“I feel that we must do music in Finnish because it is our mother language and if really want to evoke emotion we can not do it in another languages. We have lost lots of old Finnish culture and it is best preserved in folk poetry. That’s the only place where we can really go and find something ancient from our heritage. “, Rautio continues.

"Jussi Rautio and Tommi Vaittinen write lyrics and compose music. Arrangements are done by the whole band.

"Other members of Lovijatar are Mikko Neuvonen (Elephant Bell, Drums), Petrus Rapo (Boner, Guitar) and Riku Hakala (Tytär, Bass.) ‘Hämärän Kulkija’ is bands first release that is a combination of heavy riffs, melodic expression and hard handed playing. Release is bands first one and it is released by themselves. It can be heard and bought from:"




Lovijatar on facebook

The Alchemical Mixture - Church of Void & King Goat (album reviews)

Church of Void - Winter Is Coming EP

From: Jyväskylä, Finland.  Highlights include: "Winter Is Coming"
and "Summerland".  Rating: 5/5.  Release Date: August 24, 2012.

Finns always put a little bit of extra muscle and oomph into their doom metal.  It's because of this that my impression of Finns is of burly, bearded and stout men who fear nothing and charge into every place and/or situation head first, taking every step in life with the most vigorous stride possible if for no other reason than to stay warm.  I've never been to Finland.  I get the feeling very few people have really, for various reasons.  One of those reasons would have to be the harsh cold climate.  The northernmost part of the country lies within the arctic circle, which contains roughly a third of its land mass.  We're talking about a place where it's warm for about two or three months of the year.  Warm being a relative term here.  The average temperature in the Helsinki is below freezing a whopping four months of the year.  So it should come as no surprise that a relatively new doom metal band from that country should name their debut EP 'Winter is Coming'.  What the hell is doomier, gloomier and more frightening than that?  What could be worse?

The raging tempest this band puts forth in it's thunderous clamor does nothing to diminish Finland's reputation for birthing men of weather-battled burl and survivalist vigor.  Church of Void washes in from the New Wave of Traditional Doom, a genre built around powerful rhythms, heavyhanded performances, blinding leads and superlative vocals versed in epic themes and structures.  C of V addresses and attacks this criteria like a homeless man at a church sponsored buffet dinner.  I would direct listeners to the "Strongholds of Karak Varn" to see what I mean.  They have power in spades, structures and leads are in check while the vocals reach as far as they can.  Vocalist Magus Corvus isn't the typical tenor vocalist one might expect fronting a band of this stripe, instead he's a bass with an animal ferocity possessed in a wheeling dervish spin of sympathetic energy through track after track.  He may not be the next King Diamond, but he knows feel and he knows how to put that into the record.

Church of Void make a terrific first impression on their debut disc, taking four equally well-composed and distinctive tracks, each with their own feel and memorability factor.  "The Hour is Getting Late" features a gut wrenching sustained double kick frenzy during  the 'middle eight' which only hints of the greatness that is to come from drummer Byron Vortex's terrific performance on EP closer "Summerland".  This latter track is a  dominating showcase of quiet / loud dynamics perhaps in the vein / tone of early Metallica or "Cemetery Gates" by Pantera.  The band does, however, get out while the getting is good, never dragging on or overextending themselves or their stay, leaving the listener craving for more.  The yearning expressed in this last track is a poignant reminder of the frostbitten roots that this band grew out of.

King Goat - Atom (artwork by Freyja)

From: Brighton, England.  Highlights include: "Nuclear Messiah"

and "Cosmic Mastermind".  Rating: 4/5. Release Date: March 17 2013

But now we go from Finland's frost to Brighton's beaches to find another new act in the domicile of doom, King Goat.  Progressive tendencies and suffocating atmosphere is the name of the game here.  King Goat is another one of those amazing Soggy Bog of Doom podcast discoveries (there seems to be at least one every episode), and are also part of a colossal wave of great new bands out of the seaside town on the south of England.  It seems as though each ripple of water that touches the city's shores carries with it a unique and heavy muse who then lays down on the beach and gives birth to a new and quite different sounding band.

King Goat are of the epic doom variety.  Vocalist Jockum is soulful and expressive, singing with a quavering urgency that gives him the air of a mad prophet.  The local doomsayer whom all shun and despise but in the end is proven right as always.  The guitars are chilling and oppressive, the drums plodding but given boosts by some fine cymbal work.

Overall, 'Atom' is a well conceived EP with each song growing organically out of the previous one.  There's no run on effect or anything like that, but there's a tone that wafts up on opening track, "Machine God" that spills outward into each new song, with each one expanding on and adding to the atmosphere.  Tempos are typically of the 'down' to 'mid' kind, drummer Jon understanding that excitement doesn't always have to come from speed, but can also result from tension.  He takes on that often thankless job and gets it just right.

The recording isn't of the best quality, which is understandable with King Goat being such a new band (and from the looks of it a young band as well), I suspect a high quality recording will bring this band's full potential to light.  As it stands, 'Atom' sounds like a live recording and if it is, they already show some nice polish in terms of interplay and tightness as a unit, which is all the more impressive considering there's five of them usually all playing different rhythms.  It's a promising debut, I can't wait to see what they do next.  One gets the feeling that when the scaly and bloated muse visits them again their next release will be something truly epic.

Church of Void on facebook
King Goat on facebook

Lowburn - Soaring High (album review)

Lowburn didn't need to happen, it just sprang up out of a mutual love for all the great bands we take for granted (as per their bio): Kyuss, Black Sabbath, Monster Magnet, Blue Cheer, Acid King, Cathedral, Sleep and even ZZ Top.  You see, these "4 old geezers who want to rock" are past and present members of epic metal band Battlelore and don't exactly need some underground stoner side project to divert their attention, it's just that, their attention was already diverted, such is the power of Stoner Rock!

As an introduction to the band, 'Soaring High' gets the saliva glands flowing.  The title track crashes in with some busy snare work, spilling out into some big riffs, straight out of the 'Blues for the Red Sun' cook book.  "Running on Fumes" turns the screw on some of the heaviest, juggernaut rhythms one is likely to hear in this outsider's genre.  The power on display here is undeniable and in that way, very Finnish in its locomotion.  What's surprising is how well Lowburn fits within the genre.  Typically, Finns put an inimitable spin on even the most obscure of styles, making them the outsiders among the outsiders.  It's not often one hears a Finnish band play it straight, but no matter how iconoclastic the sound, I've never heard a Finnish band get it categorically wrong.  Lowburn of course are no exception to this rule.  Through it all, no matter which style or genre they play, one thing that can always be counted on is the power that the Finns produce.  Add to that the finesse of satisfying riffs and slick rhythms to put a smile on one's face and it's a double whammy, an unstoppable force of rock n roll.

"The Power It Holds" gets that Monster Magnet shades wearing, menacing strut thing going in a big way. An insistent background riff puts the listener into a trance to endure the punishing avalanche of flying riffs and grooves that surrounds it, like the eye of the storm.  With the listener still hypnotized, the band goes right into "Moonful of Stars" with only a minimal feedback oriented transition between songs, to offer another pummeling.

How much do you love stoner rock?  Is it possible to be excited about a sound that doesn't offer too much in the way of innovation or a new sound?  Of course!  Lowburn are an 'original' band in the strictest definition and earliest sense of the word, which is,  "an original work is one that embodies the same spirit as the works which inspired it".  There's no question this is an awesome debut from a quartet of veteran musicians, maybe playing in a bit of a different style, but who definitely know what they're doing.  Without even a single doubt, I know that if you like stoner rock, you will love this EP.  The CD version is already sold out (dang!), but you can still download this baby by following the links on the player below ...

Highlights include: "Running on Fumes" and "Moonful of Stars"

Rating: 5/5

Total Run Time: 19:08

Henkka Vahvanen - drums
Miika Kokkola - bass
Tomi Mykkänen - guitar and vocals
Tommi Havo - guitar

From: Lappeenranta, Finland

Genre: Stoner, Doom

Reminds me of: Kyuss, Mexicoma, Midnight Ghost Train, Monster Magnet

Release Date: January 26, 2013

Suggested Listening Activity for Fellow Non-Stoners: In the far distant year of 2020, people will live on the moon and go for a day at a private beach by hitching a ride on an asteroid, this is lonely beach asteroid music ...

Better Reviews:
Stoner Hive
Temple of Perdition
Heavy Planet

Lowburn facebook

Rogue Transmissions - Chains & Jess and The Ancient Ones (album review)

SVART RECORDS TWO FOR ONE

Cover Artwork by Coven Illustration

CHAINS - DANCING WITH MY DEMONS

Not too terribly long ago, I reviewed Chains' self-released 'Of Death' demo album.  It was a dark masterpiece of horror drone which I found to be quite inspiring (read it here).  Now they have returned with a brand new 7" single, "Dancing With My Demons" backed with "Join The Sabbath".  This is their first release on the terrific Svart Records.  Where 'Of Death' was a solo effort by E. Chains, the size of the band has subsequently doubled to include Lord Samhain (Chad Davis) on drums.  For the first time, Chains has expanded their sonic territory into, well ... I'll let the band speak for themselves ...

Chains was born in 2010 as a Hypnotic Drone Doom project in the vein of Sunn O))), Moss, Urfaust with a 70s horror vibe influenced by bands like Death SS and Paul Chain. In 2012 after the release of the first opus ˝OF DEATH˝, Lord Samhain joined the project and became the fulltime Chains drummer. At this point, the music took a retro-evolution and became a hybrid between 80s Italian Dark Doom, Death Rock and 80s Dark Metal. Chains in 2013 Chains will revive the golden 70s-80s Dark Doom style with a spice of alchemic elements with simple and hypnotic riffs.

Excellent stuff.  It seems like everything Chad Davis is involved with is awesome, Chains now joining the ranks and sounding like the spiritual cousin of one of his other recent projects, Witchcoven.  Remember, this is the first time Chains has ventured into structured song territory.

The a-side, "Dancing With My Demons" starts off with some droney atmospherics and a plaintive, almost whiney riff.  No big build-up, the lyrics float in straight-off.  This is the first intelligible vocal performance for this band.  The vocals are unaffected, classic sounding but not necessarily clean, because they are smothered in production ketchup.  Altogether it's a great song, mist-shrouded graveyard vibes with cobwebs and dancing skeletons.

"Join The Sabbath" appears on the b-side but it's my favorite of the two tracks.  A great doom riff with horror embellishments.  The vocals are once more obscured by echo, but again the lyrics are still clear.  The chorus is catchy and driving and the song is perhaps a bit more adventurous in terms of structure.

I have no idea right now whether this single is a precursor to a lengthier work but I look forward to more of it all the same.  My guess is a full-length from these two demented geniuses will be epic in scope and vision with great riffs and haunted soundscapes.  Whether it be drone or this kind of graveyard dwelling doom, Chains always hits that crypt-keeping mood.  A gruesome twosome to keep an eyeball out for.

Rating: 4.5/5




Tracklist:
1). Dancing With My Demons (5:02)
2). Join The Sabbath (5:14)
Total Run Time: 10:15

E. Chains - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Fx
Lord Samhain - Drums

From: Slovenia & United States

Genre: Doom, Sludge, Drone, Horror

Release Date: March 15, 2013

Suggested listening activity for fellow non-stoners: Be careful of what you wish for, and be wary of what you conjure.

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Cover Artwork by Adam Burke

JESS & THE ANCIENT ONES - ASTRAL SABBAT

It's hard for me to say this because I don't like being critical, but I didn't really like Jess & The Ancient Ones self-titled debut from last year. I liked a couple songs but it just wasn't something that I found myself returning to.  If you, like me, were luke-warm on their album, then do yourself a favor and give this one a listen because JATAO turn up the heat on the follow-up.

Title track "Astral Sabbat" has a winding labrynthine sixties swinging London riff that sounds lifted from some mythical Satanic occultsploitation flick of the era.  Naked ladies lie placidly on altars while black or crimson robed men in goat masks clutch daggers in both hands high overhead.  A pentagram on a high stone wall, gnarly tree or rocky outcrop behind.  This is the best song I've heard from the band.  It's immediately catchy and memorable.

When I got the CD in the mail, I opened her up and checked the inside booklet.  The lyrics for the front and back songs were listed which led me to believe that the middle track "Long And Lonesome Road" was an instrumental.  Nope.  It's a cover of what is probably the best song Shocking Blue ever did.  For those who are only familiar with their disco smash hit "Venus" (I'm your venus, I'm your fire ...), if you like the JATAO version here, do yourself another favor and dig into their back catalogue.  They were so much more than that one song.  I've long been a fan of this song and it's a delight to hear it covered by a modern band.  You ask me it's one of the best songs recorded in the early seventies which proves Jess and her gang have great taste.  The song is given heavy and respectful treatment here.  Well done!

"More Than Living" showcases a more subdued mood with a slight country vibe, more in line with the material from their self-titled album of last year.  A slow and constant builder, the song gets a lift from punctuated organ and lap steel guitar (played by Jani Karhunen).  The song is a nail bomb of dynamics, scattershot ideas fly in all directions, the band never losing the listener's attention for its full 14 minute span.  There's always something going on, something changing, something happening.  The long build up leads to a heavy final third and it's well worth the wait.

Though only 3 songs and some 24 minutes long, 'Astral Sabbat' is an impressive record.  It showcases what the band can accomplish in a limited space, strong and interesting song dynamics, great and interesting riffs that are just a touch different from anything contemporary, great taste and a bevy of musical ideas.  This is a good direction for the band to go in and I for one will be looking forward to their next offering with great interest.

Highlights include: "Astral Sabbat" and "Long And Lonesome Road"

Rating: 4.5/5



Tracklist:
1). Astral Sabbath (6:27)
2). Long And Lonesome Road (3:10)
3). More Than Living (14:48)
Total Run Time: 24:23

Jess - Vocals
Thomas Corpse - Lead guitar
Thomas Fiend - Lead guitar & backing vocals
Von Stroh - Rhythm guitar
Fast Jake - Bass guitar
Abraham - Keyboard
Yussuf - Drums & percussion

From: Kuopio, Finland

Genre: Prog, Hard Rock, Doom, Stoner

Release Date: February 22, 2013

Suggested listening activity for fellow non-stoners: Back woods occultic hoe down.

Better Reviews:
Ave Noctum
The Midlands Rocks
Metal Temple

Jess & The Ancient Ones official website

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Musta Risti - ST (album review)

Musta Risti (Black Cross) play a muscular and organic style of stoner rock with looming whispers of doom laced throughout.  Their self-titled debut EP is a blasphemous affair sure to wipe the loving smiles off the faces of the righteous.  Their song titles alone give the impression that the band is not interested in extending the hand of friendship to the faithful: "Tulessa kastetut lapset" ("Baptized Children In The Fire").

For those that worship the magnificent fretwork of Mr. Iommi, let it be known that Musta Risti pays homage, which should earn them a tip of the cap from even the stingiest of heretics.  Doom funk grooves and mouth watering syncopation earn the band repeated nods of approval.  Cool riffs are in no short supply here.

This is a brand new band finding their footing, what this recording lacks in polish it makes up for in promise.  The slick drumming of Heikki Uusitalo smooths over some of the rough patches, played in the Bill Ward style of accompanying the rest of the band rather than simply keeping time.  The drum riffs are just as prominent as the guitar riffs.  The recording may not bring this aspect out immediately to listeners, but a close listen will reveal this for all to see and hear.

Again, Musta Risti play in the time-honored Black Sabbath tradition, but they are not clones of the hall of famers.  Drums are treated as a lead instrument, riffs funk, strut and jerk, an ominous presence is felt throughout the length and breadth of the disc but it's all done in that distinctly Finnish tongue that goes beyond Jere Kilpinen singing in the band's native language.  The earthen, organic quality that is often heard in Finnish bands is present and like most Finnish bands I hear a tremendous balance between all the performers where no one instrument or voice is emphasized above the others.

'Musta Risti' is a strictly lo-fi affair, the vocals issue-forth as though mic'd into a ghetto blaster and recorded through there, making the overall sound quality lacking.  The message, however, is in the riffs and the message is good.  In perfect lo-fi tradition the band has released their self-titled EP on cassette which is available at Levykauppa Äx Oy.  I ordered my copy already and can't wait for it to come in the mail, it'll make a nice addition to my growing tape collection where it will sit comfortably between Ice Dragon and Owl, which is almost exactly where the band belong.

One last thing, the band's bio is interesting enough to re-post verbatim:

MUSTA RISTI (BLACK CROSS) is a four-piece riffrock assembly. Band emerged as autumn rose in 2012 with a twisted strategy as formerly progrock bassist turned to guitar, guitarist with punksensibility took a four stringer, former grind vocalist was forced to keep it clean and the drummer was given only the basic stuff of drum kit. We needed to see what that sounds and that is the sound you hear right now. This is bands first tape recorded d-i-y and released ourselves on cd-r and cassette.

Highlights include: "Vuorenmurtaja" and "Hautautuneet"

Rating: 4/5

Total Run Time: 22:10

Marko Lappalainen - bass
Heikki Uusitalo - drums
Leo Lehtonen - guitar
Jere Kilpinen - vocals

From: Lahti, Finland

Genre: Stoner, Doom

Reminds me of: Devil (Norway)

Release Date: January 18, 2013

Better Reviews:
Hellride Music Forum

Musta Risti facebook

Cpt. Kronos - The Invocation (album review)

I first heard of Cpt. Kronos on youtube thanks to the prolific uploader 666MrDoom when he posted the band's initial offering "Queen of the Night".  The song must have been mere hours old and already by that point it was obvious that he had found one of the next great doom bands.  The song "Queen of the Night" had a good doom riff with solid backing and was built from a blues foundation.  The cover art struck the right note to put the listener in that doom state of mind and the band imbibed the Black Sabbath ale without getting stumblebum drunk on it.  A fortnight or so later the full 'The Invocation' EP was made available on their bandcamp page.

Good as the 'lead single' was, it in no way prepares the listener for the ensuing performance on the rest of the disc.  Key moments of distinction are the opening riff and middle breakdown of "A Criminal Mind" and the explosive drumming of Matti found towards the end of "State of Emptiness".  One might consider "Queen of the Night" to be the bare-bones, stripped-down version of the band.

Opening track "The Invocation" takes the listener through the stages and styles found throughout the rest of the disc.  It starts with a slow blues workout that shows signs of popping off in any number of directions.  Eventually, the pace is doubled and the band headtrips their way through a fairly straightforward uptempo rock number.  This is not a bad thing.  When the band wants to they can be play straight rock and they can also scorch with the best of them.  As mentioned above, "Queen of the Night" is no frills blues doom with an instantly recognizable, terrific riff.  One that should eventually go down as one of the major highlights of the year.

"A Criminal Mind" takes a galloping riff with an uptempo beat and goes for a spin through some epic fields of atmospheric blues.  The middle breakdown that plays through to the end of the cut is highlighted by the deep and resonant bass work of Joni.  "State of Emptiness" is a strutting beast of organ and fuzz with a well-paced and infectious chorus.

Cpt. Kronos bite from the forbidden fruit of doom, caramelized in blues and metal.  There's a lot here in the songwriting and tonal qualities of the instruments that is akin to Pink Floyd's 'A Saucerful of Secrets'.  'The Invocation' is a solid first release from a new band that shows a ridiculous amount of promise.  Very recently the band played their first show and if they keep at it, they could be a mainstay of the Finnish doom halls for years to come.

Highlights include: "Queen of the Night" and "A Criminal Mind"

Rating: 4.5/5

Total Run Time: 20:28

From: Helsinki, Finland

Genre: Doom, Stoner, Blues

Reminds me of: Bloody Hammers; Lord of the Grave, Pink Floyd (A Saucerful of Secrets), The Wandering Midget

Release Date: December 31, 2012

Suggested listening activity for fellow non-stoners: At a clearing in the woods, disturb the cairn and reap the consequences ...

Deep Space Destructors - II (album review)

Deep Space Desctructors is a prog / space rock trio from Oulu, Finland.  They call their music "Progressive doomsday space rock" and that's about as self-aware and accurate a tag as you're likely to find from a band.  Doomy riffs, crash heavy drumming and wispy noises lay the foundation for the threatening and ghostly harmonies that propel the album forward.

Briefly, their music starts off calmly and serenely, inviting the listener into their tranquil and melodic world.  Once comfortably inside, however, the listener is attacked by heavy pummeling gyroscopic space rock.  This is how Deep Space Destructors operate.  They drone subtly, then veer off like a Jonestown escapee who just found a rocket with the keys in the ignition.

"Beneath the Black Star" begins this way.  A droney riff with only hints of menace becomes a bridge to carry the listener over a yawning chasm of windswept noise.  Nearly halfway across, the safety of the bridge is rocked by a second, doomy riff and the verse.  It's a tug of war between melodic safety and downtuned riff-laden doom.  Before the listener knows it the bridge collapses, "rotting away" and the doom wins.  A brief reprise of the melodic riff becomes the soundtrack to the listener's descent into the misty chasm below.

Again, "Deserted Planet 2078" begins much the same way.  There's that classic tug of war between light and dark.  Of course, the dark side wins.  Toward the end of the song DSD opens things up with an ascending slide riff that hauls ass and burns dark matter rubber in space.  This is the song the band choose to introduce new listeners to themselves with and one can't argue against the choice.  It's got a little of everything the band does and some of the best moments from the album.  In a way, it's their most accessible tune.

The opening of "Space Phantasy" brings to mind the best of late 60s progressive rock, specifically the Canterbury Scene and The Soft Machine.  There are other moments on the disc which might bring to mind such other period luminaries as Caravan, The Egg or their heavier precursors Arzachel.  Before long however, goggles and crash helmets are adorned and "Space Phantasy" gets aerodynamic.  The band take their time building songs in non-euclidean levels and layers of riffs, noises and structural detours before finding ways to make their improbable flying machines take off, like Launchpad McQuack piloting the Winchester Mystery House.

Though it's not on their Bandcamp, Soundcloud or ReverbNation pages, the actual disc has a fourth track, called "Sykli", sung in Finnish.  It's a different sounding tune with a different kind of vibe.  The band maintain their distinctive flavor but even a cursory or background listen will reveal the difference between this song and its predecessors.  Suddenly, the listener is no longer adrift in space but staring whimsically out across a choppy sea from a rocky outcrop.  It's not all wistful longing however, as halfway through the band breaks back into the heavy stuff with some interesting breakdowns and build-ups.

There's a warmth to the instruments and a coolness or a distance in the song structures that I can't quite put my finger on which creates a greenery in a space ship feel.  All in all, 'II' is a very worthy addition to the space rock oeuvre and one that I will enjoy listening to for many months to come.

Highlights include: "Beneath The Black Star" and "Deserted Planet 2078"

Rating: 4/5

Total Run Time: 38:13

From: Oulu, Finland

Genre: Space Rock, Psychedelic, Prog, Doom

Reminds me of: Caravan, Dryasdust, Hawkwind, Soft Machine, The Wandering Midget

Release Date: November 28, 2012



Suggested listening activity for fellow non-stoners: Immersed in a pond, clinging to a mossy log, staring out the porthole of the space ship "Gardenia"

Deep Space Destructors on Facebook
Deep Space Destructors on ReverbNation
Deep Space Destructors on Soundcloud

Excellent artwork by Markus Räisänen from http://kudoskollektiv.com/

GET IT HERE

Dryasdust - ST Demo (album review)

Dryasdust are a Finnish rock band that recalls many of the moodier moments of classic rock artists from the late 60s and 70s.  They play heavy riffs with straight forward song structure and go for an overall darker sound.  It's not a lonely 'I am in a deep pit of despair, I'm all alone and there's no way out' kind of darkness, it's more of a social 'hey, you want to hear something creepy?' kind of darkness.  Not cartoonishly dark, not depressingly dark, but soberingly dark, like a bucket of ice cold reality in the face, "Oh yeah, now I remember.  There's a lot of dirt under the surface."  Or it's like a group of friends in the woods and one of the cheerful girls says, "it's so beautiful here".  Then the dark and cynical one says, "Somewhere, there's a dead hooker in these woods."  Sobering,  harsh reality.  That is, reality filtered through a dark lens.

Of course, there's beauty in darkness and Dryasdust understand this.  The drums pound, the guitar slashes, the bass whips and the backing vocals float in like voices from the 'other side', all the while maintaining a hauntingly catchy and singular vision with a strong group identity.  Dryasdust as a band name is quite interesting as well and warrants a little conversation.  Dryas is a kind of plant (the white flowers on the album cover above) from wikipedia:

 "Dryas is a genus of perennial cushion-forming evergreen dwarf shrubs in the family Rosaceae, native to the arctic and alpine regions of Europe, Asia and North America".  

Dryas (oak) was also the name of several characters in Greek mythology, including one killed by his own father Lycurgus (killed by lysergic?).  The Dryas were climatic periods of the earth characterized by an ice age during the Younger Dryas.  It is also the genus of butterfly seen on the inset of the album cover art below, about to be eaten by a fish no less.  And the whole name proper is a three word phrase Dry As Dust, which one might associate with a corpse, if one were so inclined to see things through a dark lens.  You go from beauty to myth to death in any order you please and you come out with the formula that this band has concocted for a very memorable debut EP.

The 5 song demo opens with a kick in the ass.  "Cold Sweat" kicks things off in fairly cheerful fashion with uptempo drums and a relatively bright and heavy riff.  Before long however the power trio darkens the affair with a second main riff that takes over the rest of the song like a storm cloud at a picnic.  This darker vision is unrelenting for the rest of the record and makes for a perfect transition to low key "Deep Waters" which in turn transitions perfectly into the all-nite diner mood setter "Losing Hold".  Owlish backing vocals and busy yet understated drumming characterize the moody "Deep Waters"

Closing track "Evil Hearted" is the summation of Dryasdust's sound.  Heavy, funky, catchy and dark with very memorable percussion.  It's rare for the percussion to provide the hook in a song, but that's what you get here.  Very memorable and intense.  The song ends with a snippet of the chilling speech Jim Jones delivered to his 'congregation' as he convinced them to kill themselves.  If you ever hear the full audio it's incredibly disturbing and maybe the darkest thing I've ever heard.  It suits Dryasdust quite well and is a strong way to close out the album, leaving the listener stunned and dumbfounded.

The album cover art is a perfect visual representation of what the band is all about.  A beautiful lady floating spread eagle on a pond.  But is she dead?  Just below the surface fish attack insects.  Again, there's that theme of harsh reality just below the surface.  Akira Kurosawa once said that the job of the artist is to not look away (I believe I'm paraphrasing here) and that's just what Dryasdust refuse to do.  They dig beneath the surface like curious dogs and sometimes unearth the bones of ghosts, then show everybody what they found.  This is the artist's imperative.  The band refuses to look away, peering deeply into the dark areas beneath the beautifully manicured hedgerows, daring the listener to do the same.

Highlights include: "Deep Waters" and "Cold Sweat"

Rating: 4/5


Total Run Time: 20:47

From: Finland

Genre: Rock, Stoner

Reminds me of: Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Year of the Goat

Release Date: October 1, 2012

Suggested listening activity for fellow non-stoners: Sundown at the cabin / back porch, an uninvited visitor listening in just past the edges of peripheral vision

Better Reviews
Heavy Planet
Soda Shop
Ride With the Devil
Stoner Hive

Demonic Death Judge - Skygods (album review)

Demonic Death Judge are a doomy Sludge Band from parts unknown in Finland.  They keep the guitar tone and the funk, ever present, always thick and syrup-y.  The singer rasps and yells in a style that lands in the middle of sludge and death metal.

The name Demonic Death Judge evokes images of an Aztec god of the underworld, one every soul must visit upon death, who sits mockingly in judgement of living action as the soul goes through the seven tortures of hell.  A heavy psychedelic bad trip that easily fits the spirit of 'Skygods'.

Skygods is a journey, like unto death and rebirth.  First off, I normally don't like this style of singing, but the riffs are so badass that I look past it and keep listening.  Then something strange happens.  I begin to hear that the vocals and guitar tone are so evenly matched that it becomes hard to imagine any other combination of the two.  This becomes even more evident on the track "Nemesis" which showcases the band's psychedelic side with ethereal noise wining over a bluesy improv.  The vocalist gets in on the action with dreamlike pleas from the background, sung without death style rasp and matches the guitar tone perfectly, yet again.  Different guitar tone, different style of singing, matched to perfection.  By the time "Pilgrimage" washes in the vocals and guitar are so married in sound that the guitar almost seems to conjure the vocals from the aether and animate the singer like a possessed corpse. It's a symbiotic relationship.  Think moss growing on a rotted log.

The title track features one hell of a riff, slowly ascending, heavy and funky, addicting.  "Salomontaari" continues the heavy funk flow and adds a dynamic of late 60s prog into the mix with strings playing a whimsical, contemplative section.  A bluesy, funky number with multiple guitar leads and wah-bass, the fuzzy verse-chorus keeps this song grounded in reality and focused.  "Latitude" is an ambient bridge from "Salomontaari" to "Knee High", another heavy groove out winner.  "Aqua Hiatus" is slightly slower but keeps the excitement with a terrific riff that writhes like worms through rotted flesh over top steadily crashing symbols.  Towards the end of the track the symbols stop and the soul is propelled further into the psychedelic outer reaches of the underworld, adrift, tether broken, in a cosmos of plucked guitar, only to come crashing back down for another ordeal.  "Cyberprick" picks things back up again with a heavily fuzzed groove out.  The vocals, ever matching the guitar, are at their most aggressive and forceful.  The guitar solo again flows atop a wah bass then crashes back down into a subdued section with a spoken word passage. "Nemesis" plays like the death / rebirth scene in a cosmic drama and serves as the final precursor for epic closer "Pilgrimage".

While listening to this album the soul is adrift in a vacuum of fuzz with starburst symbol crash propulsion.  The whole album flows from one track to the next and is highly focused while still continuing to develop new ideas throughout the deathtrip.

Highlights include: "Skygods" and "Knee High"

Rating: 4/5


Total Run Time: 47:25

From: Finland

Genre: Sludge Metal, Doom, Psychedelic

Reminds me of: Dopethrone, Ichabod, Law of the Tongue


Release Date: October 5, 2012 / (on vinyl) December 15, 2012

Suggested listening activity for fellow non-stoners: Cut the tether from your soul to your body and prepare for your deathrip ordeal in the underworld.

More Info

Better Reviews
Doommantia
Sludgelord

GET IT ON VINYL HERE

Seremonia - ST (album review)

Imagine being held prisoner by a gang of children who deliberate your fate in a monotonous emotionless tone in a language you don't understand, every now and then one of them will glance at you, pitilessly.  Ah, now you're ready for Seremonia.

Seremonia is a psychedelic stoner doom band from Finland whose female vocalist sings entirely in her native language.  They prefer to throw some funk in with their doom-y riffs and that together with the singer's dreamy and distant vocal delivery make for some eerie and memorable performances.

Though the lyrics are in Finnish song titles like "Lusiferin Käärmeet" and "Antikristus 666" leave little doubt for English speaking listeners as to their subject matter or the vibe they are going for and manage to pull off.  The latter features whispered spoken word passages in an already eerily subdued song structure.  The chorus's multi-tracked vocals and lazy delivery make for one of the most chilling moments on the album, and it's catchy as hell.

There are numerous catchy and memorable moments including the two songs mentioned above and also two songs the band has shot some funny and creepy promos for "Rock'n'rollin Maailma" and "Uhrijuhla".  These are perhaps the most uptempo moments on the album with emotionally distant vocals woven over funky riffs.  "Aamuruskon Kaupunki" is another standout track and offers something else by the group entirely.

My one major criticism with this album is that it's too short.

For bands from non-English speaking countries there must be some tension when coming to the decision of which language to sing in because the truth is the majority of the rock/metal audience speaks English.  A lot Swedish bands, for example, will allow themselves one Svensk song (or song title) on an album, but just one.  To sing in one's native language is a risky proposition, but for Seremonia to do so was the right decision.  The distant vocal style blends perfectly with the fact that you (non-Finns) don't know what's being sung, adding to the atmosphere and tension.  But I've already dwelt too much on the language when the point is always the music itself and its overall impact.

My fear is that non-Finns may not give this band a chance and that they will miss out on one of the most unique listening experiences of the year.  The songs are built from good funky riffs and solid rhythm but completely draped over in an atmosphere of eerie danger and deranged evil.

They are an experience unto themselves, this is an album guaranteed to throw you into a specific mood that only the best doom albums can.

Highlights include: "Uhrijuhla" and "Antikristus 666"

Rating: 4.5/5




From: Finland

Genre: Psychedelic, Stoner, Doom, Occult Rock, Retro Rock

Reminds me of: Black Sabbath, Blizaro, Ghost, Goblin


Tracklist
1). Seremonia (0:48)
2). Uhrijuhla (2:23)
3). Rock'n'rollin Maailma (3:28)
4). Huutava Taivas, Kuiskaava Maa (3:41)
5). Aamuruskon Kaupunki (5:50)
6). Kosminen Ruumisvaunu (2:10)
7). Lusiferin Käärmeet (4:23)
8). Antikristus 666 (3:05)
9). Kiirastulen Tähtisumu (1:08)
10). Hautakiven Varjossa (4:32)
Total Run Time: 31:22


Release Date: September 14, 2012

Suggested listening activity for fellow non-stoners: Being held at knifepoint in an old yellow school bus perched precariously on the edge of a mountain by the escaped inmates of New Bedlam's insane asylum for children.

GET IT HERE

The Wandering Midget - From the Meadows of Opium Dreams (album review)

There's something very distinctive about Finnish doom bands that I can barely articulate, there's an aurally organic quality to them.  What would you call it?  Earthy, wooden, oaken, bark-y?  I don't know, but there's something heavy to the vibe that goes way beyond what the instruments are pumping out.  It's weighty and resonant and reminds me of a massive old growth tree, full of wisdom and unspoken secrets.  It`s heavy the way your drunk dad wanted to have a chat with you as soon as you stumbled through the door on Friday night, you understand?  It's some serious music, sobering even.

This isn't some tongue-in-cheek, weekend fun doom album, this is the real thing.  The Wandering Midget appear to take their jobs very seriously as doomsters and to great effect.  The tones of this album are somber and mournful with a hint of wonderment and it absolutely radiates those elements.  It's a drugged trip through a dark forest and you don't know if the gnomes want to help you or eat you until you get to the end of the trail, but until then you got to trust them.

I've never been a big fan of long songs, unless the structure is suitably expansive to match the length and keep my attention.  Longer songs don't necessarily warrant repeated plays for some reason, I assume it's because if they're not that interesting, then it's too long, you skip it, and if the song is great, the length makes a single listen more satisfying so you don't have to keep going back.  Songs like "Echoes" for example have been the exception rather than the norm.  This album is full of exceptions.  I never thought I'd be drawn back so often to songs 20, 12 and 17 minutes long all in a row, all in one sitting, but I am.  They are songs that don't get boring or drawn out or lose focus half way through.  It's slow, big and epic without being lumbering, plodding or tedious.  These are songs to revisit.  There are plenty of dynamics to chew on and that is a welcome element of structure, but it's the high quality of the riffs brings me back.  The last five minutes or so of "Follow the Forest Lights", exemplifies everything I've been trying to get across about this album.  It's a passage of music that just leaves me speechless.  The performance, the recording, the riff, the lyrics, the solo, the dynamics, everything, it's just ... wow.

This was one of my most highly anticipated albums of the year and it delivered in an epic way.

Highlights include: "Prince of Fire" and "Follow the Forest Lights"

Rating: 5/5



From: Lappeenranta, Finland

Genre: Traditional Doom Metal, Epic Doom Metal

Reminds me of: Black Sabbath, Candlemass, Grave Siesta

Release Date: November 30, 2012

Suggested listening activity for fellow non-stoners: Finding your way out of the forest, avoiding gnomes at all costs.

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