REVIEW: Tombstones - Volume II

Doom Rock  from Norway
Tombstones - Hellfire


The nightmare continues...
Hell yeah! The powerful and mighty Tombstones from Norway are  ready to crush all walls on their debut album 'II'. Get ready for some real heavy shit!

No fuck'n around is exactly what you might call this disc, on the debut album 'II' Tombstones shows the Masses that the bells of doom are ringing and the Vikings no longer exist! Quite a lot has happened since the demo 'Volume 1' and the band is heavier and seems more confident in what they are doing. In other words; it goes in the right direction.

The new album starts off with 'Hellfire' which is loose cannon without inhibitions.'The fire' take to prisoners and smashes you to pieces, over five burning minutes of uncompromising Norwegian anger with patter drums and glow hot strings. This is a ginormous stir up among the tombstones and the trio literally drives the stake through your heart. The followers 'Distorted Visions' and 'Whisperer In Darkness' makes me shiver all over, slow and sinister with a thrilling sense of the dark. This is true doom of higher rank which is comparable to dignities such as The Gates Of Slumber, Las Cruces and Wall Of Sleep.

'Further Down The Abyss' is one of the slowest acts and along with 'Realms Of Oblivion' these two make the perfect match to this album and completes the whole in a cool and sinister way. An exercise in raw power and demonic behaviour which makes any priest drop dead. Other tracks worth mentioning are the monstrous seventh act 'The Source' and the following 'Wheels Turn' which certainly brings those hidden monsters in the closet back to life!

I consider Tombstone's 'II' as one of the ten best doom releases in 2010 and if you prefer quality instead of quantity you have to try this one. If you're into bands like Cathedral, The Gates Of Slumber, Wall Of Sleep, Saint Vitus and so on, then Tombstones is for you! Turn the cross and join the dark forces... Norway is on the march!

by Tobias Beament

Transubstans Records

Record Heaven
Kosmik Artifactz

Myspace

Track List

01 Hellfire

02 Distorted Visions

03 Whisperer In Darkness

04 Further Down The Abyss

05 Realms Of Oblivion

06 Eye Of The Universe

07 The Source

08 Wheels Turn

09 Supernoid

Grab it from Record Heaven or Kosmik Artifactz

An Evening of STONER SLUDGE DOOM @ Dirty Shirlows

Sydney's local music scene got you down? Sitting at home bemoaning the potential axing of yet another pub venue? Well we've got just the thing to jolt you out of your apathetic slumber!

As ever, Sydney's dark underground music scene beckons to those who simply cannot survive without live music. Come April 9th, we're aiming some of the country's loudest and most intense psychedelic, stoner and doom bands at yo head - and it all goes down at Dirty Shirlows; one of the more prominent semi-legal warehouse venues in the Marrickville area.

Canberraian trio Looking Glass hark straight back to the days of Jimi Hendrix and Black Sabbath - a time where substance-fuelled rock gods seemed to tower above the general populace, with a guitar-wielding ability (and an appetite for hallucinogens) that seemed to far surpass what was attainable for a mere mortal. This is classic, high-energy, high-volume stoner rock laced with psychedelic leads, thundering bass and effects-drenched acid vocals. Simply awe inspiring.

Then comes Space Bong - South Australia's downtuned denizens of drone and a band that has produced some of the loudest and most incredible live experiences I have been privy too. Their brand of droning, nihilistic sludge is trance-inducing. We can guarantee you will have heard nothing quite like it.

To round out the night we have psychedelic drone/fuzz outfit Adrift for Days, Brisbane stoner-rockers Shellfin and local stoner blues standouts Mother Mars.

Since this is a warehouse venue, the night will be BYOB, BYOJ and all ages. The sound system at Dirty Shirlows is certainly nothing to scoff at - so bring your earplugs, your squares and your brooding misanthropy down for an evening of vibration, fuzz and drone. Entry is $15 and the show will run from 8pm til late.
We hope to see you there.

April 9 - Dirty Shirlows Warehouse
Looking Glass (ACT), Space Bong (SA), Adrift for Days (NSW), Shellfin (QLD), Mother Mars (NSW)
Entry $15, doors 8pm, all ages, BYOB/BYOJ.
32 Shirlow Street, Marrickville. NSW

Looking Glass - Freya  Myspace  Kozmik Artifactz   Waterfront

Space Bong - The Black Wall  Myspace  In Out Recordings  Missing Link  Facebook

Adrift For Days - The Leech  Myspace  Free Album Download from 65Degrees.com.au

Shellfin - Cruzzin  Myspace  Bandcamp  The Soda Shop  Reverbnation

Mother Mars -  It's So Crazy  Myspace  Kozmik Artifactz

DEMOLAND: Grey Host 1-11 Demo Session

DoomRock from the USA
Grey Host - Noble Beast

Grey Host, Holy Darkness in the riff, Dark long epic songs that extrude the sorrow from your veins. This is a Demo of the unfinished works, expect vocals to crush and make you feel like you have been fucked with a mind crushing time bomb; these cats destroy your mind from head to toe, hail the riff and hail GREY HOST!

Thanks to Grey Host for allowing these early works on what is set to be an epic record once completed...

Myspace
Bandcamp

Tracklist 

01 The Shaman

02 Wizard Sleeve

03 Dunhill

04 Old Crow

05 Noble Beast

Download 320k

REVIEW: Double Space 12"

HeavvyRock from Denmark
Double Space - The Rock

A two-track vinyl 12' of two-ton sludge, Double Space doubles down with some heavy downtuned riffage.

A Side “The Rock” has shades of YOB with a slightly more aggressive vocal sound, a lengthy, winding epic that lays the smackdown with its pounding rhythms. Add some slow breakdowns and progressive NeurIsis leanings for good measure, and you've got a solid track.

B Side “Bent” is slower from the get-go, laying on the down-tempo like Harvey Milk with some funkier drumming for the first couple minutes, then picking things up with a jagged riff that cuts deep before descending into darkness once again.
Man, this is some really good stuff..

By Gruesome Greg

Myspace
Facebook
Reverbnation

Download the 12' in mp3 format from their Facebook page or grab it here.

Track List

 01 The Rock 

02 Bent

SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS NOW!! IT'S AN ORDER! :DOUBLE SPACE

Wiht Signs to Doomanoid Records

DoomRocK from the UK
Wiht - And the Thunder Rolls


Wiht are pleased to announce their signing to Doomanoid Records and the impending release of their next LP ‘The Harrowing of the North’.

Wiht are a Leeds-based trio who started out in March 2009 and whose epic, instrumental style straddles doom, stoner and psyche. Their self-titled debut EP, Wiht (November 2009), won them critical acclaim, described as ‘moving’ and ‘massive- 9/10’ (Planetfuzz.com), and ‘other worldly’, ‘set apart from other bands- 9/10’ (Ukmetalunderground.com). The band have played across the UK, supporting Brant Bjork and the Bros, Humanfly, Khuda and A Forest of Stars, and made it through to the final of the Battle For Damnation Festival in 2010.

Wiht’s first full album The Harrowing of The North is a two song, forty minute concept piece, set for a springtime release through Doomanoid Records. Taking influence thematically from the subjugation of the North of England by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it tells the troubled history of doomsday-era Yorkshire- the king massacred it’s people and destroyed the land to ensure it held no economic or cultural worth and would remain under his subservient rule.

Recording begins early February at Ghosttown recordings in Leeds.

Wiht on Myspace
Wiht on Reverbnation
Doomanoid on Myspace
Doomanoidrecords.com

Get the 2009 3 track Ep Here on Planetfuzz

REVIEW: Griftegård - Solemn.Sacred.Severe.

DoomRock from Sweden
Griftegard - The Mire


Imagine a sulphur-smelling cemetery where the ground is completely covered with human bones. Where all the statues of Holy Mary crying deluge of tears, and where the wailing of a thousand souls becomes a lament that is heard miles away. It does not get much bleaker than this...

Griftegård is an old Swedish word for cemetery or burial ground. The word "grift" comes from the Latin word "crypta" and Greek "krypt", if you put together the words "grift" and the Swedish word for yard (gård) you get Griftegård, simple huh? According to me they could not have chosen a better and more appropriate name for the band, which goes very well with the music.

After a ginormous stir-up among the tombs with their two-tracked ep 'Psalmbok' in 2007, Van-records has now released Griftegård's debut album 'Solemn Sacred Severe' . The album could be described as a desperate struggle between good and evil, and is a severe, melancholy, and a totally breath-taking sledge-hammer which hopefully will get the attention it deserves.

Right from the first moment Griftegård shows who's in charge and that they belong to the doom elite. The first act 'Charles Taze Russell' certainly drags the monsters out of the closet and is a full-fledged vulture that swallows the whole Christianity in a single bite! Cut by cut these doomsters work themselves into your head without leaving any piece uncut. This lament includes everything on the doomsday menu and is brutally good, dark, gloomy, and slooow as hell. Almost majestic with incredibly good and clean vocals. You get 101% doom metal, more than enough to scare away the heavenly father and to satisfy all pagan 'bible burners' out there!

The second monstrosity 'Punishment & Ordeal' is a mourning soak that nails you against the coffin in the same seductive way as before while the fourth track 'Noah's Hands' is more like being thrown into a deathwatch of Gregorian monks. This is the punishment for having jerking on the sly during confession! You get the same anxiety-charged guitar grinding as Electric Wizard so happily shows off, the only difference is that the Swedes are not as sludgy, but more epic and are running in the same vein as Candlemass, Reverend Bizarre, Count Raven and Warning.

There are lots of doom acts today that sounds much alike, but there is only a few who stands out and manage to climb the ladder all the way up. Griftegård are one of those bands who have successfully managed to reach the light and are probably poking god's ass by now. You get six killer tracks in almost 47 thrilling minutes just as mean as they were meant to be, the album is like going downhill on a crooked cross straight into the abyss. Griftegård are true riders of doom and 'Solemn Sacred Severe' is a masterpiece who deserves to be placed as one of the artefacts in front of the altar in the temple of doom! Simply, this disc is one of the best albums in 2009! The artwork on the vinyl release is unbeatable so hurry and get you a copy.

Reviewed by Tobias Beament

Myspace
Ván Records

 

Track List

01 Charles Taze Russell

02 Punishment & Ordeal

03 I Refuse These Ashes!

04 Noah's Hands

05 The Mire

06 Drunk With Wormwood

DEMOLAND: Plastic Gods - Quadriplegiac

DOOOM from Iceland
Plastic Gods - Part II: Body & Spirit



Plastic Gods is a drone/doom band hailing from Reykjavík, Iceland. The project was conceived in late 2005 by Dagur and Ingólfur as a stoner/sludge band, but as members were found, the sonic assault slowed down to a snail's pace, becoming a morass of droning doom riffs with a dash of lethargic stoner groove to mellow things out - a tribute to all things slow and heavy, dubbed "öræfarokk" (wasteland rock).

The band has played fairly regularly since its inception, and has established a reputation for intense live performances, crushing audiences with high volumes and organ-shaking vibrations. Quadriplegiac, the band's first full-length released in December 2008, is a three-part concept album - an introverted trip that conjures up images of bleak, glacial sands and strangely, feelings of both despair and hope - and has received positive reviews from various webzines and Icelandic publications.

Myspace

 

Track List 

01 Part I Birth

 02 Part II Body & Spirit

 03 Part III Only The Mind

DEMOLAND: Conan

Doom from the UK
Conan - Satsumo


Conan are a Caveman Battle Doom trio from the grim North of England. They summon the heavy riff from the ungodly land and crush the skull of the unbeliever. Waves of sludge and graves of foes shall be the aftermath of their ritual.

Track List

01 Battle In The Swamp
02 Satsumo
03 Krull

Myspace
Throne Records

REVIEW: Wiht - Wiht Ep

DoomRocK from the UK
Wiht - And the Thunder Rolls


It's always nice to get something in the mail that you, you know nothing about! Wiht are a new three piece to emerge from Leeds England. It's kind of weird, how certain parts of the world deliver particular styles of rock, Majority of the stuff I receive from England is of the doom variety and never seems to stray from this genre. But Wiht have managed to set free an EP that is not only interesting but to a degree somewhat moving!

At first I was stranded on this EP, is it what I think it is, or is it... But after a few listens and time away from the record I found myself back in there groove seat and found new confidence in what Wiht was trying to portray on this massive three song EP. Majority of the songs start out full faced, hard hitting traditional stoner rock styled, but as you get deeper in the songs the mood changes to a more moving sedate like post doom style.

Wiht have no trouble writing songs, there structure of songs is impeccable, perfectly balanced but somewhat depressing, with every power riff there is a die down waiting to knock you down on your ass and leave you sort of feeling perplexed! Describing Wiht's sound is not easy! I would say if you took Jecano, Sleep, Yob and added some ISIS, 5ive and Paik you would have a pretty good image of what Whit's sound is about.

Wiht as a three piece work perfectly together, there sound is massive and the way the music is structured has no need what so ever for a vocalist. Instrumental bands have the hardest gig as artists, there music must capture you in every sense of the word, what Wiht have done here on their first EP should be applauded, not only have they only been jamming since October of 2009 they have managed to produce an honest no frills EP that is totally worth every penny spent.

Wiht strike me as a band that would destroy live! This EP is near live sounding, they haven't opted for extra baggage in the mix, no over dubs, and excessive guitar heroics just true honest ROCK! These guys can definitely play, but special mention goes to Rick Contini on drums! He does and miraculous job and is the back bone of the band and definitely the key to why Wiht don't ever stray to boredom status.

This is not an EP you would play at parties etc, it's far more intimate , more a solitude record and a record that should be listened in its entirety in the right mood , lights dimmed no interruptions oil projector and a bowl of god's gift you get my drift :). Wiht will be a band to watch for, this EP will pave long and prosperous journey for them both, live and in the studio. If a band that has only been together for such a short time can produce a self recorded self funded EP of this magnitude then the future looks bright. I encourage you all to pick up this EP  I urge you all to look outside the square and open your minds to what Wiht have to offer! Great job guys, looking forward to the next chapter

Reviewed by Matt Frighetto

Myspace

 

Track List

01 Into Ruin

02 And the Thunder Rolls

03 Vasta

REVIEW: Six Dead Horses - Horn, Tusk, Antler EP

DOOM from the USA
Six Dead Horses - Human Dragon, Father of Man


When i push the volume and let loose the beast, it's like being flogged and sodomized by an inverted cross held by a mad monk...

The debut 'Horn, tusk, antler' by the American Six Dead Horses hailing from Orlando, Florida is a super heavy doomsday fortress, containing three heavily armed missiles from hell! At the first listen i was about to fall off the coach, and i tell you that at the highest volume these guys will bead the roots from the soil and pulverize both walls and ears. Even your bong will explode from the pressure wave! In short, this is well worth the digging and the corpses are more than happy to dance madly backwards one last time.

The opening track 'Lakota' is an absolute beast in almost 13 nail biting minutes that includes everything a fully fledged doom/sludge act should have. Ten tons of raw power, nicely carved riffs and the vocals are just as stoned as they should be; somehow the whole kit reminds me of a more doomier Zoroaster or perhaps Spancer. Imagine that Electric Wizard, Our Survival Depends On Us and Sleep having a doomsday party with your local dealer and add another 5 barrels of THC along with some good old sabbatic worship and you get an idea how these guys sound.

The second gem 'Human dragon, father of man' hammers on in the same go(o)d spirit without taking any prisoners. Just as the opening track, you get your teeth kicked in and the unstoppable skull-crushing machine continues to run without mercy. The end to this madness is called 'Brutalitarian', and there is nothing more to say than it is brutal and leaves no one indifferent. These six dead horses never cease to trot and its pale riders holds on to the stick without getting out of hand just once. Well, the music is not unique in any way and has been made many times before but somehow these Americans manage to keep it on a level that feels quite new and interesting. I can assure you that this debut is a 100% i-love-to-kick-ass-and-my-mother-in-law-will-hate-me-for-buying-it disc! As we all know, it just makes it more interesting:)

Six Dead Horses offers a mix of leaden anxiety, accuracy and entertainment at the same time and all three tracks have the same high standard and are very long and intense without any slip. As long as these sludgy gentlemen of doom are holding the baton there is no limit...in other words, there is no rest for the wicked!

Reviewed by Tobias Beament

Myspace

Track List

01 Lakota

02 Human Dragon, Father of Man

03 Brutalitarian

DEMOLAND: Sandia Man

DoomRock from the USA
Sandia Man - Sandia Man


SANDIA MAN was formed in July 2008 by Alan Edmonds & Jon Knutson (ex-Devil Riding Shotgun).
Steve "Sven" Esterly joined the group in October 2008, and their first show was in December, 2008.

Shambling across a dusty cavern floor; cowering under the smoke and ash of the ultimate eruption; witnessing the final clash between titanic forces, SANDIA MAN rises from the collective unconscious of ten-thousand generations of humanity.

Myspace
ReverbNation

Track List

 01Sandia Man

02 Skins of the Fathers

 

 

REVIEW: Spiritus Mortis - The God Behind the God

DoomRock from Finland
Spiritus Mortis - The God Behind the God


This is heavy shit indeed, the powerfull and mighty Spiritus Mortis from Finland are back and ready to crush all walls on their sixth album 'The god behind the god'. Bottle up!... cause there is a party in hell!!!

Ei leikki (no playing around) is exactly what you might call this disc, on the sixth album 'The god behind the god' Spiritus Mortis shows the (m)asses that the bells of doom are ringing all over Finland. Plenty has happened since the first album in 2001 and along with the split album with The gates of slumber 'The god behind the god' have to be their best release so far.

The new album starts off with 'The man of steel', a loose cannon without inhibitions.'The man' take to prisoners and smash you to pieces, three minutes of uncompromising finish anger with patter drums and glow hot strings. Spiritus Mortis literally drives the stake through your heart. The followers 'Death bride' and 'The rotting trophy'makes me shiver all over, slow and sinister with a thrilling sense of the dark... this is true doom as it's finest moments comparable to Count raven, Reverend bizarre and late work of Saint Vitus.

'When the wind howled with a human voice' is one of the slowest acts and along with the title track ' the god behind the god' these are my favourites. An exercise in raw power and demonic behaviour which makes any virgin spread her legs. The title track brings you over 10 minutes of crushing doom metal, the longest and most evil track on this release. Full of heavy riffings with anguished vocals, 'The god' makes the blood flow from your walls.

I Concider 'The god behind the god' as one of the best doom releases this year and if you prefer qualities before quantity, this is a clear candidate! Turn the cross and join the dark forces... hell awaits!

Reviewed by Tobias Beament

Website
Myspace
Firebox Records
Hellride Music

Track List

01 The Man Of Steel

02 Death Bride

03 The Rotting Trophy

04 Curved Horizon

05 When the Wind Howled With a Human Voice

06 Heavy Drinker

07 The God Behind the God

08 Perpetual Motion

REVIEW: Doomraiser - Erasing The Remembrance

Melodic DoomRock from Italy
Doomraiser - Another Black Day Under The Dead Sun


The horns of doom is looming on the horizon and the troops are gathered.It's good against evil and this means war...forward into battle!!!

From the dark side of humanity Doomraiser once again spreading vicious preciptious death.The nightmare continues and the second release 'erasing the remembrance' by the italian dark forces of doom is mindblowing.This is hell on earth and no one can stop this from happening...the angels weep deluge.

First one out on 'erasing the remembrance' is 'Another black day under the dead sun',a loose cannon that crushes the 10-minutes barrier in one.Except for splendid riffings and great vocals some violin and flute are included,which increase the song further.Doomraiser slaughter on with 'The raven',black and ominous,anxious and moaning,i hardly think it gets more uglier than this.'The raven' gets under your skin and rip your heart out,the vocals reminds me of Glenn Danzig,not all of it,some parts are rougher and more depraved.

The second release is in a way darker and more gloomier than the previous 'Lords of mercy' and feels more prepared.You get shit loads of heavy unholyness and even some psychedelic and 'old school' metal influences are included in this well carved masterpiece.If you prefer something more crunchier with you margueritas than the average metal bands Doomraiser is the perfect match.

The fifth track'Vanitas' is monstrous,one of the high lights for sure.You get over 15 minutes of pure devastating doom metal on this gem and the italian stallions gives you a treatment you late will forget, and i asure you they create true misery.Seven well performed works in 59 minutes is more than enough to scare away all the joy you might get in life...

Drink fast and play slow!

Reviewed by Tobias Beament

Myspace
Blood Rock Records
Black Widow Records

Track List

01 Pachidermic Ritual (Intro)
02 Another Black Day Under The Dead Sun
03 The Raven
04 C.O.V. (Oblivion)
05 Vanitas
06 Head Of The River

DEMOLAND: Dope Fight

DOOM from the UK

Dopefight - Hijos De Fumar

Three Lads from Brighton South United Kingdom Stoned and Low, HEAVVVVVVVY.

Myspace

Track List

01 Somnia

02 Hijos De Fumar

03 The Thrall