SLOMATICS - Strontium Fields review

 

SLOMATICS - Strontium Fields

Black Bow Records

Years ago I said in a review that the SLOMATICS are a good doom band to play late at night. But not too loud and make sure the outdoor speakers are not on or the cops will show up again for playing music too loud. The SLOMATICS are one of my favorite Irish bands. I'm part Irish as well so yeah there's some bias in liking a cool band. But hey this band deserves it.

I got into the SLOMATICS some years ago and have watched them go from a damm good sludge band to something more progressive. They have the simplistic ability to crush, kill and destroy you sonically. But they also show compassion with some psych and proggy atmospheric touches. Case in point I love the song "Voidians" which has a psych calling and yet breaks into some fuzzy sludge.

Add to that "Time Capture" which is total proggy psych in a quality way. But of course ya gotta like opener "Wooden Satellites" as well as "I, Neanderthal" because that's the band at their sludge metal best. All in all as a fan I still think Canyons from 2019 is their best album. This one here is a fun step forward and still very good. 

http://www.blackbowrecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://slomatics.bandcamp.com/album/strontium-fields

SLOMATICS - Canyons review

SLOMATICS - Canyons 

Black Bow Records




Regular readers of SFM666, and frankly who isn't, will know that I always say nice things about the SLOMATICS. OK fine I have my bias opinions based on heritage as well as they're amazing sound. But getting back to the heritage part, I'm Dutch on my Father's side and I'm Irish and German on my sainted Mother's side. And yes she was a saint until she had a few whiskey shots. Then she turned into a belt swinging harpie. But anyways I'm a big mean Dutchman who drinks like an Irishman and barks orders like a fuckin German. Yeah I have no problems in life.


But anyways here we have the latest full length by Ireland's premiere sludgey yet more so doom act. I've always considered them to be an Irish version of YOB. And if ever, as appears on this full length. they've followed the same progressive moments. I'm gonna sit back and think about this one. The SLOMATICS are a good doom band to play late at night. For me it's perfect since I don't get home from work till around 2:30 AM. Yeah if you live nearby and hear loud music being blasted in the early morning hours, that's me and no I refuse to wear headphones. 


So on this release, which is this trio's sixth full length, yes they've taken some progressive steps. But since becoming a fan of theirs I've gone through their back catalog (the buying process will commence soon enough) and learned after playing one area of doom laden-ed madness they move onto another. Yeah this does remind me a lot of modern day YOB whom I don't care for at all. Yet the SLOMATICS still hold true to their patented down tuned delivery that you know they're not selling you some trendy bullshit.


Canyons has been my go to music over the past week as an after work relaxation. There's a psych vibe here but not in that cliche overdone style. Vocals are that shouted from the other room style. The music crushes but in a relaxing way. Put this on, break out the beer or whatever you're into that's not speed and enjoy. I wanna shake these guy's hands for creating some doomy sludge metal that has a relaxed vibe and yet is still heavy as fuck. Sometimes you need a softer touch when you're in that mood which doesn't require a crush, kill, destroy explosive sound.


http://www.blackbowrecords.com/

https://slomatics.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Slomatics/

WITCHFINDER - Hazy Rites review

WITCHFINDER - Hazy Rites

Black Bow Records




Are you someone who is pining for some ELECTRIC WIZARD / WINDHAND worshiping stoner rock? Yes I've given away the surprise here by giving you the facts up front. Here we have a French trio who are not subtle at all about a sound which they love as well who they sound like. Influenced you say, ha! Lets review, fuzzed out riffs, check as well as being extremely similar. Airy ghostly styled vocals, oh yeah but thankfully there's a few moments when some harsh angry screaming kicks in.


I'll give em a break on their cover artwork choice. Is that supposed to be a witch or Captain Marvel after dawning Green Lantern's power ring? I'll give these guys their due. At a time when ELECTRIC WIZARD has been recording the same album over and over since 2007 this emerald beauty comes across as decent. This is WITCHFINDER's second full length since starting out in 2016. They sound cool as far as standard stoner rock goes. But, and this is important, they are a small fish swimming in a big genre ocean. At least they're not so cliche as to have a female vocalist. For the doom head who just needs another release that sounds exactly like every other one in his collection.


http://www.blackbowrecords.com/

https://witchfinder.bandcamp.com/album/hazy-rites

https://www.facebook.com/witchfinderdoom/

BLIND MONARCH - What Is Imposed Must Be Endured review

BLIND MONARCH - What Is Imposed Must Be Endured 

Black Bow Records




I love the promo info which came with this release. In the past I have stated my respect for promo writers because sometimes they have to make a sow's ear into a silk purse. Now that is not the case here but the promo info on this release is kinda cool. For example this band "weave moments of a dubious beauty into a corrupted majesty of ugliness and despair." Wow I'm in awe. Also this album "was captured in a derelict space in the North of England during the bleak mid-winter of 2017." Once again that's awesome.


My turn, so it's a little after 4 AM. I got home from work an hour and a half ago after another twelve hour shift. I'm tired, I smell and I pushed play to this BLIND MONARCH's full length debut. Seriously I feel like this music. Sludgey death doom painfully slow but adding some ambiance which gives it a sense of being. This the band's four song slightly over fifty four minute long debut is mostly about crushing your bones and pounding your flesh into a fine paste. The ambiance comes in at various spots but mostly on the last track when guest vocalist, Fiona Blyth, chimes in.


Otherwise this stalking behemoth is on par with some other UK acts that indulge in thunderous and ground shaking riffs, pounding drums and a mix of vocal styles. Tom Blyth uses his singing talents to covey the idea that he's either a grumpy bear woken early from hibernation or a screeching blackened banshee. Either variety works well with this music. 


http://www.blackbowrecords.com/

https://blindmonarch.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.facebook.com/blindmonarchband/

BAST - Nanoangstrom review

BAST - Nanoangstrom 

Black Bow Records




BAST are the lid of a pressure cooker which seems ready to blow any second. Musically this English trio weaves together some varied sounds into a cauldron and it works. Think the crushing sounds of CONAN, add in some post-metal HELMET, some prog plus blackened moments to add atmosphere along with harsh vocals. Yeah aside from the intro, the five cuts on here bring forth a lot to consider.


I was outside on the back deck having my morning smoke and cup of coffee the other day. It was a brisk Fall day with a chill in the air worthy of wearing a sweatshirt. I felt great then when I came back inside and played this release. I got the same feeling. This is BAST 's second full length, first time for me hearing em. Their debut, Spectres, came out four years ago. I'm not so surprised it took a while between albums since the cuts on here are long and carry diverseness in design and depth.


The tagline on BAST is blackened doom but to me, after playing this multiple times, it seems such a limited term to describe them as. The title cut for myself is where everything this band does comes together in an explosive way and yet it's still a cacophony of styles bubbling away. Other cuts lay out a vast wasteland of despair to trudge through. It's all very cool and breaks all molds or trends being put forth by lesser acts who just take the simple route. I'd call this excellence.


http://www.blackbowrecords.com/

https://bastmusic.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Bastmusic

RADIEN - Syvyys review

RADIEN - Syvyys

Black Bow Records




Ya know I've reviewed so much sludge metal releases this year that I'm wondering if I should change the name of the blog to SCUMFEAST SLUDGE 666. That's a joke by the way, fuck you I ain't changing the damm name. But seriously a lot of sludge metal releases have come my way in 2018.


RADIEN's full length debut was tagged as sludge metal. I've been listening to this four song release every night for a week (it's night time music) and there's so much more going on here then just sludge metal. RADIEN hails from Helsinki, Finland. Even as the first cut played I couldn't help but think this is a nation that has given so much artistry to metal music. Whether it's beauty you're looking for or brutality and of course contemplation of sadness it's been Finnish musicians who have created a cannon of greatness. But mere sludge metal?


Syvyys thankfully is not mere at all. Listening to this is like being dropped onto a blackened doom nightmarish landscape. Yes it crawls along at times in a grim and harsh manner. Between torturous screamed vocals as well as spoken word bites the music creates this atmosphere of bleak desolation mixed in with claustrophobic fear. I loved how on "Hetki" in it's opening course the band borrows from SABBATH's self titled cut. Instead of being horrific it's more like you're being dragged up to a monolithic god of doom to decide your fate.


Mere sludge metal, not at all. RADIEN's debut is pure agony as if you're awaiting an execution but must endure torture from within your imagination. This release came to my attention from a message on my SFM666 Facebook page. Strange since I usually get stuff sent in from a PR person who regularly sends me stuff from Black Bow Records. 


http://www.blackbowrecords.com/

https://radien.bandcamp.com/album/syvyys

https://www.facebook.com/radienband/

COLTSBLOOD - Ascending Into Shimmering Darkness review

COLTSBLOOD - Ascending Into Shimmering Darkness 

Black Bow Records




So if you're a regular reader of SFM666 (and frankly who isn't) then you're probably wondering why I'm writing about a release that came out last year on Candlelight Records. Well dear confused, it's because Black Bow Records is re-issuing this one on vinyl. The pretentious record collecting scum will love that. Secondly COLTSBLOOD are new to me so hey I wanna write about em.


Yes, yes you're shocked that I don't know about COLTSBLOOD. Yeah I'm so behind the times. Maybe I should get some English Doom fanatic to throw a fuckin brick through my window to announce every little tidbit of information about the British doom scene. I'm serious because I rarely read other websites.


But anyway in this band's case I'll take the brick. Now that I know about COLTSBLOOD and listened to this a few nights after work, which is a perfect time, I love them. First off this is John McNulty who formerly played bass in CONAN. That's your sludge factor. With this band (a three piece featuring John on bass & vocals, Jemma McNulty on guitar and drummer Jay Plested) the man has veered away from the path of his old band. 


COLTSBLOOD are for the most part dark as in it's sludge metal meets a more atmospheric genre side of black metal and maybe something leaning to the funeral side of doom. John's vocals are a mix of psychotic screams, bestial grunting and feral haunting. When not hammering down-tuned massive sludgey riffs Jemma's guitar playing twists tremolo picked hypnotic harmonies. The drum work is fine as well.


The bottom line for me here is between their whole bludgeoning there's some fast blackened effects as well as a little dark melodious space. A fine release and worth a re-issue, or a re-inspection for those of us (myself included) who missed out on it the first time around.


https://blackbowrecords.bigcartel.com/

https://coltsblood.bandcamp.com/album/ascending-into-shimmering-darkness

https://www.facebook.com/Coltsblood

SLOMATICS / CONAN - Split reissue review

SLOMATICS / CONAN - Split reissue

Black Bow Records






The release's cover artwork depicting a heavy metal warrior riding upon a giant snail pretty much sums up what you're gonna hear. This originally came out in 2011 as a limited 12"er on Head of Crom Records. But it seems, according to the promo info, that this particular release has been an on demand by fans wishlist item.


Now just for the record England's CONAN and Ireland's SLOMATICS have been around for a good decade. But unless you're a devoted fan of slow and heavy music then you are like "Who?" Be that as it may this falls into that holy grail type of releases category. SABBATH on ludes, cough syrup and a brick on the needle as you spin Master of Reality on the turntable.


Both bands deliver three cuts a piece of pure sticky monster sized sludge rock. And just like my opinion of their split with MAMMOTH WEED WIZARD BASTARDS back in January, the SLOMATICS rule on this one as well.



http://www.blackbowrecords.com/

https://conan-conan.bandcamp.com/album/split-with-slomatics

https://slomatics.bandcamp.com/album/conan-slomatics-split

https://www.facebook.com/Slomatics/

https://www.facebook.com/hailconan/

MAMMOTH WEED WIZARD BASTARDS / SLOMATICS - Totems Split EP review

MAMMOTH WEED WIZARD BASTARDS / SLOMATICS - Totems Split EP

Black Bow Records

Here we have a five song split EP which features two doomy acts, one from England and the other from Ireland. Lets start with the obvious veterans, the SLOMATICS. This Irish trio has been around for over a decade delivering iron clad sludge rock via multiple releases (full lengths and short form). Their contribution here consists of three cuts, two long ones which bookend a short piano instrumental.

As far SLOMATICS sound goes to me they're like an Irish version of YOB. Think of that slow motion machine pushing out psych/sludge with plenty of sci-fi themes. Vocals are shouty in an echoing vein. All of this wants me to check out their most recent past release, Future Echo Returns, which also came out on Black Bow Records. Hey that's what short form releases are for. They're to give you a taste so that you'll want more and in this band's case I do.

Although I cannot say that's the same case for the other band sharing space on this EP. Now although I can't say what MAMMOTH WEED WIZARD BASTARDS' two songs bring here is bad. No it's decent but overwhelmingly cliche generic psych sludge with female vocals. The band started out in 2014 and after an opium bender which also consisted of listening to WINDHAND repeatedly, they sobered up and thought "hey we can do that." 

If I need to explain then MAMMOTH WEED WIZARD BASTARDS lay down two cuts of fuzzy droned out guitar, it's bass heavy and the vocals are of that haunting from a distance female variety. Add to that they're song lengths are overly drawn out. But hey if ya like that then you'll love em.

Sorry no Bandcamp link but here's some videos from both bands.






http://www.blackbowrecords.com/

https://www.facebook.com/mammothweedwizardbastard/

https://www.facebook.com/Slomatics/

SUBSERVIENCE - Forest Of The Impaled review

SUBSERVIENCE - Forest Of The Impaled 

Black Bow Records




Here's a British version of kitchen sink death metal. Now I use the term "kitchen sink" as a reference to bands who toss out a bunch of genre styles in their sound. It can be looked upon as negative or positive and in this band's case it's the latter. SUBSERVIENCE, a Sussex quartet, use old school death metal as a base which they add progressive elements, core angst and thrash to create a modern metal sound which comes across as a cool threatening sound.


Obviously this five piece act like BOLT THROWER but then move on from there. This their debut full length starts off with a roar and the type of fury which will kick a few heads backward. Midway through the band adds some groove style that doesn't make you want to grimace. There's also a melodic texture added to the onslaught of punishment. This is the kinda stuff you wanna see slam pits form to and faces ripped apart. This is pretty damm good. 


http://www.blackbowrecords.com/

https://subservience.bandcamp.com/

MERCHANT - Beneath review

MERCHANT - Beneath 

Black Bow Records




The hand of doom has risen many times in Australia and in this instance it comes in the form of some YOB worship. Beneath is the second release by this four piece act outta Melbourne. Their first, Suzerain, came out last year and was an actual full length release. What we have here is more like a two long song EP lasting slighting over twenty nine minutes. MERCHANT are not new to creating long compositions since their self released debut contained four cuts in around fifty minutes. 

Getting back to the music, yeah this is total YOB worship which I don't have a problem with. You've got the massive, droning riffs with plenty of distortion plus monstrous bass lines and that in sync drum style. Yes it's very familiar except for the vocals. They're more in the vain of your typical sludge band rasp variety. Still with originality tossed to the wind the two cuts have a mesmerizing almost hypnotic quality to them. Dare I say psych is involved when listening to the latter moments of "Guile as a Vice"? Or that “Succumbing” is as long and painful as crucifixion? Maybe two cuts is all they need to convey their powerful message that life sucks, mate.


http://www.blackbowrecords.com/

https://www.facebook.com/DOOMMERCHANT

https://bbowmerchant.bandcamp.com/album/beneath

BATTALIONS - Nothing to Lose review

BATTALIONS - Nothing to Lose

Black Bow Records



According to the promo info Black Bow Records is going to put out this band's second release some time soon. But in the meantime they've reissued their debut full length which came out last year. Well ain't that nice. So after listening to Nothing to Lose I believe the working title for their second one should be Nothing to Gain. Of course that depends on the band getting any better at their craft.

BATTALIONS is a British stoner sludge act that take some of their cues from US southern sludge bands, most of whom live within a hundred miles of the very home I'm writing this from. Now if I consider recent efforts by bands from my home territory to be mediocre and boring in recent years how well am I to take a band from across the pond doing the exact same thing? At least their singer doesn't use a fake Southern drawl. 

BATTALIONS is a five piece act, no pun intended, that combines chunky riffs, funky grooves and swagger when they wanna move uptempo to produce eight cuts. Song subject matter consists of all those Merry o'l English traditions like drinkin - "Whisky & Wine", the plight of welfare mothers and children - "Deadbeat Dad Beat Dead" and one that still has me puzzeled - "Hoods Up, Knives Out". Hmmm, is that really a ghost on the front cover or something else? Yeah that's just a few examples. Imagine an Oi band who skipped over IRON MONKEY and listened to copious amounts of SOURVEIN.

Rating: 2/5

http://www.blackbowrecords.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BattalionsSludge

https://battalionsdirt.bandcamp.com/

GRIM RAVINE - The Light is From Below review

GRIM RAVINE - The Light is From Below

Black Bow Records




I wouldn't say this English sludge act is breaking any new ground on this their second release. But to their credit this four song EP will be like manna to any fan of dark dense grimness that some others in this genre have chosen as a path. Yeah that would be me since I love crawling death doom like sludge. I hate the wanna be hippy shit that's invaded the genre. I hate happy bands with their colorful cover artwork. And yes I hate BARONESS.

Of the four cuts on here only one, "Translunary", strays from the formula of darkness, albeit still within the grey area. The band also adds a slight atmospheric reprieve on the final cut "Vacant Mass". The vocals are definitely in the black metal vein of cavernous grunts and harsh shrieks. But it's the massive crushing riffs that push this over the top.

The opener "Shrine of Misery" is like a beast rising out of the depths to crawl upon the land in order to feed of it's dwellers. "Hypernova" follows suit but slightly up tempo. All in all this is a decent release. I've listened to it a dozen times in the past two days so I'm kinda thankful of the band's choice of a short format release. It keeps things interesting and within theme. Anything longer and boredom would commence plus it would feel like a mass of ideas shoved down the listener's throat. 

Rating: 5/5 

http://www.blackbowrecords.com/

https://www.facebook.com/grimravine

https://grimravine.bandcamp.com/