Sleep Moscow - Of the Sun

Sleep Moscow, unlike what the band name suggests, do not hail from Russia; they are a Swedish alternative/prog rock band. Their sophomore album, Of the Sun, has just been released on Majestic Mountain Records and it’s a thing of beauty. It is at once spellbinding and serene, a concept album about a cosmonaut leaving a dying earth and everything behind for something bigger.

Retro is quite the ideal word to describe this mood-driven, 39-minute, 9-song musical journey into outer space. From the opening instrumental track, “Home”, segueing into the instantly memorable “Light Will Meet Us”, the music here dazzles. Echoes of Pink Floyd, ghosts of late ‘70s/early ‘80s modular synthesizers are in full display and bring a magical genuineness to the proceedings. The third track, “Gift of Life”, gives the impression that we are immersed in a comfortable bubble without a care in the world. The piano-centric title track follows with delicate splendor. Singer Arvid Hällagård’s ethereal vocals effortlessly take us far away from this plane of existence throughout the album. He’s accompanied by a plethora of dreamy strings, soothing piano, and gentle electronic noises. The above-mentioned strings are at the forefront in the superbly heartbreaking instrumental “Memories“. Next up, “Far Beyond Gone”, is quite possibly my favorite song in an album of favorites. It is ageless and feels like you’ve always known this song, like an old childhood friend. “Alone” is a gorgeous, restrained song with a guest female vocalist for the second half of the song. The last two songs, “Facing the Clouds” and “You Are Over”, constitute a perfect one-two punch to end this remarkable expedition; multi-layered and hypnotic, lingering in your head long after the music stops.

This is another must-have album, folks. With more than half of the year behind us, 2021 has to be one of the strongest years in recent memory for indie doom/stoner/metal/psych/prog music. The Sleep Moscow trio is a force to be reckoned with and have crafted an absolute masterpiece with Of the Sun. This record has immense replay value and I think it’s safe to assume that it will only get better on subsequent spins and is likely to age like the finest of wines.

Sleep Moscow’s Bandcamp page: https://sleepmoscow.bandcamp.com/releases

Black Sabbath in Montreal - 50 Years Ago

Fifty years ago today, Black Sabbath played a gig in my hometown of Montreal, Quebec, Canada for the very first time. The date was Friday, July 16th, 1971 at Place des Nations. I wish I could’ve been there, but I was three years away from being born! The four blokes from Birmingham, England—namely guitarist Tony Iommi, singer Ozzy Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward—would go on to become the godfathers of Doom and Heavy Metal.

As you can see in the above-pictured flyer for the show, tickets were a measly two dollars! What a steal, even back in the day, to see Sabbath perform live at the peak of their game! There’s very little info on the show circulating online, but I was able to track down a few photos and while I couldn’t get my hands on the night’s setlist, I found the next best thing: the setlist for the following gig two nights later at Borough of York Stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It’s very likely that the songs they played on that night and the order in which they played them was similar or identical to that of the concert in Toronto. The setlist was as follows:

1. N.I.B.
2. War Pigs
3. Sweet Leaf
4. Black Sabbath
5. Iron Man
6. Embryo
7. Children of the Grave
8. Wicked World
9. Orchid
10. Guitar Solo (with Wicked World reprise)
11. Paranoid

     Encore:

12. Fairies Wear Boots

The show was part of the tour to support their upcoming third studio album, Master of Reality, which was to be released five days later, on Tuesday, July 21st, 1971. It has gone on to become one of their most beloved albums—and my personal favourite Sabbath record—with such classics as “Sweet Leaf” and “Children of the Grave”. What a career and an influence that still resonates to this day Black Sabbath has had! They will forever remain one of my top three favourite bands of all-time.

Photos and flyer courtesy of Les Archives de la Ville de Montréal © 1971.

Inner Missing - Deluge

Initially formed in 2008 under the moniker “Odium” and hailing from St. Petersburg in Russia, Doom Metal/Gothic/Darkwave duo Inner Missing have just released their eighth studio album, Deluge, on the Inverse Records label. The album’s gorgeous sleeve is full of mystery and is a great snapshot of what lies inside said album: a dark and beautiful musical journey. The Russian duo consists of Sigmund on vocals and guitars, and Melaer on bass and keyboards.

I didn’t know what to expect on my first spin of Deluge, but by the time I was done, I knew I had stumbled upon something special. I won’t be doing a track by track review since this record plays more like a concept album where the eight songs form a whole that feels like one continuous piece divided into different sections. It’s also the kind of album that I will listen to entirely in one sitting going forward, much like the way I do when I put on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon or Wish You Were Here.

The first song, “In the Haze”, really sets up the entire record: a slower-paced, melodic gothic doom metal excursion for the ears. The cover art could be an inspiration to imagine yourself traveling through space aboard a majestic vessel to the sound of piano and guitar-driven melodies, with hints of prog rock cascading throughout the various songs. It’s a poetic and relaxing album, yet at the same time it’s invigorating and full of energy. Deluge was conceived in 2020 at the height of the pandemic and explores themes of uncertainty, dismay, longing, and even hope. The fourth track titled “Locusts” is a proggy instrumental bridging the second half of the album. The sixth cut is the title track, “Deluge”, a song about the weight and burden of memories and remembrance. Number seven, “Elegy”, is a beautifully melancholic piano song with synths. The final track, “Grodek”, is the only non-English song of the album (in German) which surprised me—since the band is Russian, I would’ve expected it to be sung in Russian. If I can trust Google’s German to English translation, it’s about the hard-earned victory of the heroes. Nonetheless, it’s a fitting way to close out the album.

Deluge is a polished album from a seasoned duo of musicians that features harmonious vocals, a continuing wave of guitars and keyboards linking the songs together to shape a gloomy yet quiet atmosphere with infinite replay value. If you’re looking for a different kind of Doom record, something to put on during a drive at night (or on your next trip to space), this 44-minute melodious expedition is bound to quench your desires. Inner Missing have crafted a truly great record that gets my highest recommendation.

Inner Missing’s Bandcamp page: https://innermissing.bandcamp.com/

A Conversation with VAZUM

It’s been quite a while since we had an interview/conversation on the blog. I meant to do them more often but got sidetracked a few times earlier this year. I’m back on track now and will do my best to have interesting guests, whether it’s bands or labels. Whenever I come across a band that has a unique voice, I want to know more about them and this time around, it’s a Deathgaze duo by the name of VAZUM. They’ve just released a new album titled V+ this past Friday and it’s their most accomplished record yet, in my opinion. Seriously, folks, this is one of the finest albums I’ve heard this year thus far. Not only that, but I highly recommend checking out their videos on YouTube as they complement their music perfectly. At the bottom of this conversation, you’ll find links to all their social media and platforms they’re on if you feel like exploring their catalogue and supporting them.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: Today we’re sitting to chat with Zach Pliska, founding member and singer/guitarist/drummer along with Emily Sturm, singer/bassist of the deathgaze duo VAZUM. Congratulations on the release of your brand new album, V+. VAZUM has only been around for a few years, but you’ve been very prolific in terms of musical output. Can you tell us, in a nutshell, how the band has evolved to the stage where it’s at now as a duo?

Zach: Previously I played drums in probably a dozen different bands, so it was important to me that I form a band for VAZUM shows. I didn’t want to be a solo act, even though I recorded the first album solo. I recruited some of my friends but had a difficult time with drummers. We went through a handful of drummers. I even played drums and sang for some shows. Then my bandmates started losing interest, their level of commitment just wasn’t really there. And that’s around the time I met Emily. Me and Emily were friends first, then we started playing music together. By the time the pandemic hit my previous band members had faded out and it was just me and Emily.

Emily: I had been in bands previously but decided to focus on creating jewelry and running my own business. I kept a lot of songs and ideas filed away for a while. When I met Zach it seemed he was focused on his own music, but once we realized how similar our tastes and backgrounds were we began working on ideas. It was obvious we had chemistry. Jamming was fun, easy and inspiring and music quickly became a priority again.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: V+ is an amalgam of diverse musical genres and influences; we can hear echoes of Bauhaus, The Cure, Joy Division, and I can even detect hints of Siouxsie and the Banshees at times. You’ve even done a terrific rendition of one of my all-time favorite Bauhaus songs, “She’s in Parties”, on your 2019 album Variant. What would you say are the main influences that have contributed to shape your sound?

Zach: I spent my teen years obsessed with some of the 90’s rock bands like Smashing Pumpkins and Soundgarden. That style of guitar playing and drumming is very important to me. I studied jazz in college which threw me for a loop but opened me up to a whole other world. And also showed me the discipline needed to learn and master an instrument. It wasn’t until later that I got into 80’s bands like Depeche Mode and Bauhaus. In 2018 I signed VAZUM up for a local Halloween cover show and we did a Bauhaus set. Trying to cop the Peter Murphy singing style really opened my eyes to a different vocal approach. Previously I was trying to do a more 90’s voice which I have decided to stray from. Currently I’m much more interested in a David Bowie vocal sound. And I’m still discovering a lot of 80’s goth, deathrock and industrial music which Emily has introduced me to.

Emily: I moved to LA when I was ten years old and listened to the radio station KROQ which introduced me to artists like Gary Numan and Echo and the Bunnymen. My first concert was Adam Ant. Once I started going to clubs I fell in love with Christian Death. The deathrock scene had a profound impact on me and I’ve always wanted to do something similar musically. I like things that are intense and dissonant. 

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: You’ve also released a Halloween concept album, Rated V, where half the album consisted of songs and the second half was dark ambient instrumental tracks. Those instrumentals were incredibly atmospheric and spooky. Is that something you’d like to explore further in the future, doing maybe a complete album of instrumentals or perhaps horror movie scores?

Zach: Yes, we plan to continue exploring ambient and instrumental music. I could see us even going into a progressive rock direction a bit. The possibilities are endless and Rated V was a good starting point for us.

Emily: Absolutely, we’re just getting our feet wet. We have a lot of different concepts and ideas for more Halloween-themed stuff.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: Videos are an integral part of VAZUM. Emily’s background in the visual arts has no doubt been an important addition to the aesthetic of the band’s visually-striking videos. The song “Loved 2 Death” is a strong example of that, providing a deliciously eerie cemetery shoot that serves as a backdrop to the music. You guys are obviously horror movie fans; is making short films or delving more in depth into the cinematic aspect of the business something you’d have an interest in?

Zach: I’ve always associated visuals with the music I listen to. And it was important to create an aesthetic as well as a sound from the get-go. I grew up watching MTV and music videos are essential to me. Emily has taken our look and videos to another level.

Emily: I never thought I’d have the technology available for filming and editing videos that I do now on my phone. There was definitely a learning curve with the apps I use. But now that we have a grasp of our tools, we will only continue creating more video content. I’m a huge film buff. My favorite movies include Suspiria, The Thing, and Beyond the Black Rainbow. I’ve studied many films and have been obsessed with film making my whole life. Now I have an opportunity to put everything I absorbed to use.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: In my opinion, the best way to fully experience a band is to see them perform live on a stage with a crowd. Have you missed playing live gigs during the pandemic? Have you started playing in front of audiences again now that things are slowly going back to normal?

Zach: We haven’t played any live shows since the pandemic began but we’re starting to put our plans into motion. We want to tour and perform outside of Michigan. I haven’t missed playing live very much because I had been doing it for years mostly as a drummer and it became very routine. The break from shows gave me the opportunity to focus on recording and learn more about producing and engineering. 

Emily: Our live show is very important to us and we are constantly working to make it more engaging. I had only played a few shows with VAZUM before the pandemic. Now we have a completely different set-up and sound for playing live which we are excited to unveil. 

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: I want to thank you for taking the time to chat with us today and I wish you much-deserved success with V+. Is there anything you’d like to add for people who aren’t familiar with your music or the deathgaze/shoegaze genres in general?

Zach: Thanks for talking with us and listening to our music. We really appreciate it. Ultimately we are trying to push rock music forward. There’s a lot of stagnation with scenes and genres. People are hung up on the past and some bands simply settle for a familiar sound because it has proven to be successful. I think there is still an undiscovered sound out there that people haven’t tapped into. Deathgaze is a new genre and it hasn’t been defined. We are going to show what it means to be a deathgaze band. We are going to define the genre and create our own algorithm. 

Emily: We enjoyed speaking with you, the questions were very thoughtful. Thank you for giving new and obscure bands like ourselves a chance to speak our minds.

All photographs by VAZUM 

VAZUM on Bandcamp

VAZUM on Facebook

VAZUM on Twitter

VAZUM on Spotify

VAZUM on YouTube

VAZUM on Instagram

KISS - Off the Soundboard: Tokyo 2001

Let’s get one thing out of the way: KISS is my favorite band of all-time. Then, now, and they always will be. There’s a certain magic and mystique about the comic book look/vibe and genuine rock n’ roll sound they have that I will never tire of. I have so many fond memories of listening to them growing up in the late ‘70s, throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, listening to them on tape and CD, seeing their various incarnations and lineups live on stage and on VHS/DVD/Blu-ray at different junctures of my life, from being a kid to a full-grown man. I have KISS CDs, DVDs, toys, comic books, books, T-shirts, collectibles, and all that good stuff. As much of a huge Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd fan that I am, KISS will forever be my desert island band, my go-to if I only had to pick one band to listen to for the rest of my days.

That being said, I haven’t been excited for a good number of years to see them either in concert or to buy anything they’ve released. I didn’t even go see them for their “End of the Road Tour” at either of the two stops they made in my town back in 2019. Paul Stanley, as much as I love him, doesn’t have the pipes he once had. And rightfully so—the man is 69 years old and has been singing for the vast majority of his life almost on a daily basis. My favorite band member has always been Ace Frehley, followed closely by Paul Stanley. I never cared for Peter Criss as a drummer; to me, Eric Singer—their drummer for the past 20 years—is my favorite of the three drummers they’ve had over the years (I really liked Eric Carr as well). As I said, I haven’t been looking forward to anything KISS-related in a while—that is, until word spread around that they were going to start releasing a series of official bootlegs of some vintage concerts, titled Off the Soundboard. When it was announced that the first release would be of their 2001 Tokyo show featuring an as-of-yet officially undocumented lineup of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Eric Singer, I was absolutely stoked! This lineup only existed for about 14 months and has got to be in my top three lineups to hear KISS play live. Add to that the fact that we’re getting a full concert, no studio overdubs and polish-up jobs the way the Alive releases were given, giving us KISS at their raw best, and you’ve got yourself the potential for something truly special. And special it is, my friends; this 2 CD/3 LP/Digital release is a bona fide gem!

Let’s go back in time a bit and explain what led to this lineup for those of you who lost track of who was in KISS at that time. Back in 1996, the original KISS lineup (Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss) reunited during a special MTV Unplugged. From that point forward, KISS put the makeup back on and went on tour for almost two years. In 1998 they recorded and released Psycho Circus, their first album of new material with the original band since 1980. Then began the Farewell Tour—every band/artist does one and it’s never really the end; case in point, they’re doing another final tour 20 years later! Anyhow, in January 2001 of this Farewell Tour, Peter Criss leaves the band. Eric Singer, who’d been with KISS since 1991 until the reformed original lineup, returns behind the drums. So now we have a very cool lineup which is what we have on this fantastic live double CD/triple LP. This lineup would only last until March 2002 when this time it would be Ace who would depart to be replaced by Tommy Thayer (who also happens to be KISS’s current lead guitarist). Strangely enough, Peter Criss would return briefly for KISS Symphony: Alive IV in Melbourne, Australia only to quit after a little over a year for good this time. The current lineup of KISS with Paul Stanley on vocals/rhythm guitar, Gene Simmons on vocals/bass, Tommy Thayer on lead guitar/vocals, and Eric Singer on drums/vocals is the longest running lineup and have been playing together since February 2004.

I won’t be doing a track by track review; instead I’ll point out what were the highlights of the album for me and talk about the setlist a bit. The band is in rare form and plays very tight together, Ace is on fire with his guitar solos, and this is back when Paul still had that iconic voice of his and could pull off his magic on the mic. “Alright, Tokyo! You wanted the best, you got the best. The hottest band in the world: KISS!” With these words, the fiery concert of March 13th, 2001 in the Tokyo Dome begins. They kick it off with a high energy version of “Detroit Rock City”. It’s followed by superb renditions of “Deuce” and ‘Shout It Out Loud”, two staples of classic KISS. Next up is a stellar performance of Ace’s “Talk To Me”, which is awesome to hear Ace on vocals on a song that just isn’t the same when Tommy Thayer sings it (or when KISS does it at all these days since it’s an Ace song). We’re treated to decent to amazing versions of classics like “I Love It Loud”, “Firehouse”, “Do You Love Me”, “Calling Dr. Love”, to a particularly solid rendition of “Heaven’s on Fire”—a fun song to hear Ace play on since he wasn’t on the 1984 Animalize album from which it comes from. We get a standard performance of “Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll” followed by a killer “Shock Me” with Ace on vocals again, segueing into a fantastic 10-minute guitar solo; truly one of the highlights of the album. Disk one ends with the excellent “Psycho Circus”, which to me always fits really well alongside their ‘70s material and sounds awesome here. 

Disk two starts with a really fun performance of “Lick It Up”, another cool song to hear Ace do his guitar thing on since he didn’t play on its studio counterpart, followed by a bit of a boring Gene solo—maybe it’s just me but I never find his solos particularly interesting unless I have visuals to go along with them or that I’m actually in the crowd at a show. “God of Thunder” is pretty great, sounding ominous as ever, followed by Eric Singer banging the drums for a solo. Peter Criss was never as powerful or imposing a presence as Eric Singer on the drums, in my personal opinion. Then we get to “Cold Gin”, one of my top three favorite KISS songs of all-time, and it’s a fantastic, live reference version we’re treated to here. It’s followed up by an equally phenomenal interpretation of “100,000 Years”. And the hits keep on coming with “Love Gun”, probably my fave KISS track of them all, with Paul’s usual flying to get up close with the crowd. Next up is a very special treat in the form of “I Still Love You”, from 1982’s Creatures of the Night (one of their top three albums in my humble opinion). This is a song that’s rarely performed live and it’s done here stripped, with only Paul singing and playing guitar by himself. It’s not the full song either, but it’s just perfect the way it is. It segues into the always brilliant “Black Diamond”, with Eric Singer doing a terrific job on vocals. The show winds down with a stellar performance of “I Was Made for Lovin’ You”, a song still hated by many hardcore KISS fans, but one that I’ve cherished since I first heard it when I was a wee boy of six years old. Things wrap up as usual with “Rock and Roll All Nite”, which honestly, I could care less if I never heard it again. They do a good job of it, but at this point, to me this song is the only song that’s been played too many times, whether it’s used for TV commercials, in movies, when KISS performs at events or are guests on TV shows; it’s overkill. I wish they’d have shelved it for a while and unearthed it after a number of years.

The verdict, as you can already tell if you’ve read this far, speaks for itself: this is one of the all-time best live releases from KISS and a must-own album if you consider yourself a KISS fan in any way, shape or form. It ranks up there with the first Alive, as blasphemous as some of you might think me for saying this. Look, it’s a fantastic lineup, they’re on fire, the song selection is diverse with some nice little-heard gems squeezed into the setlist, and it’s a full-length concert, warts and all. In terms of bootlegs, for those of you who collect such things, it’s on the level of the outstanding New Zealand 1980 boot taken from the final night of the Unmasked Tour. In terms of official releases, this show is a very good portrait of an almost undocumented era of KISS and just as important in the scheme of things as, say, their Dodger Stadium show of Halloween 1998 (another bootleg I’d love to see released officially, although the video version appears in full on the third KISSology DVD set). I’ll be revisiting this album quite often in the days/weeks/years to come and I’m eagerly awaiting the announcement of the next volume in the Off the Soundboard series.

Visit KISS’s Off the Soundboard Shop

Eric Stangeland - Wake Up

It’s the year 2021 and Grunge is making a comeback! Eric Stangeland’s third album—his first for ToneMark Sounds—is a nice blend of Grunge, Hard Rock, and Metal. Titled Wake Up, the record is heavily influenced by the grunge sounds of the ‘90s, going for a fresh take on the beloved alternative subgenre. It isn’t so much a solo album as a dozen musicians contribute eclectic styles to the mix, similar to what Santana and Slash did on their solo albums with a plethora of guest singers/musicians. The end result is very rewarding.

Wake Up is first and foremost a very personal album, and a concept record at that. It’s introspective, dark, moody, and uplifting at the same time. Featuring both male and female vocalists, a wide variety of musical arrangements (even some rap thrown in for good measure), it’s also a platform for Eric to showcase his guitar chops and proficiency as a lyricist. The album is divided into two halves: the first half is heavier and louder, while the second half is quieter and moodier.

Things kick off with the gloomy “Sky Glazed Over”, featuring Jes Phipps on vocals. This tune has a great chugging riff throughout and is a perfect tone-setter for the album. “Falling Away” is faster and gloomier and has Mark Moots as guest vocalist, with Eric Stangeland scorching the earth with his fiery guitar. The third cut, “Head’s in a Fog”, has a cool Alice in Chains vibe and Gus Caba’s vocals are eerily reminiscent of Rob Zombie’s. It also features Stevi Cooper rapping to add some flavor to the tune. I really dig this song! Next up is “Don’t Make Me Go”, a very catchy alternative track sung by Katie Keller channeling Mother Love Bone, which is actually referenced in a spoken word part by Joy Stark in the latter section of the song. It’s followed up with “Not a Dream, Not Reality”, with Mark Earnest on vocals and a fine display of Eric doing a killer guitar solo. On to the mellower second half of the album, we have the dreamy “Gravity” with the lovely Lisa McQuiston taking over vocal duties. The slower tempo continues with “When Can I Leave?!”, a superb instrumental guitar track that I wish were longer. It segues into “No Matter What”, a standout song on this great album, a kind of a rock ballad, featuring another female vocalist in the talented Brittany Maggert. We go back to a heavier groove for “Holding Hands in Silence”, a solid rock song with terrific guitar play which has vocalist Mark Moots returning on the mic. The album comes to a close on a softer note with the acoustic “For You”, which incidentally is the only song on the record that Eric sings; it’s split with a brief, sort of hidden instrumental track titled “For Ed” which provides the perfect finishing touch to end this beautiful record.

Eric Stangeland’s Wake Up is an amazing collaborative effort from both a musical and lyrical standpoint. It showcases a broad array of sonic influences, predominantly grungy, that echo Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, and ‘80s-inspired guitar solos, all the while presenting the listener with lyrics that will make you ponder and inspire you to keep fighting and moving forward if you’re going through hard times. After four spins so far, this record keeps getting better and better with every listen—a telltale sign of a fine album. This one’s a keeper, folks; show Eric some love and pick up a copy today!

Eric Stangeland’s Bandcamp page: https://ericstangeland.bandcamp.com/

Wytch - Exordium

Welcome to the ceremony. We will be discussing Sweden’s heavy rock/occult rock band Wytch and their debut album, Exordium. Some albums resonate with you instantly and leave a lasting impact. Exordium is one such album. It fires on all cylinders and delivers the goods in spades, my friends. As part of the Ripple Music label—quite probably the finest purveyor of heavy/stoner/doom music out there—the expectations were high for this release, and this female-fronted outfit doesn’t disappoint in the slightest.

Initially called Aska, this quintet fronted by the uniquely haunting Johanna Lundberg on lead vocals, renamed itself Wytch following the release of an EP in 2017. It’s a cool band name but their songs are less occult than you would expect from a band called Wytch. Nevertheless, don’t judge a band by its name as they are all skilled musicians and can hang with the best of them. It’s been stated a lot about this album, but it needs to be reiterated: Wytch’s brand of rock is a perfect fusion of Fleetwood Mac and Black Sabbath in their prime with a blues rock edge. An absolute delight to this listener’s ears!

This 39-minute, 8 song ceremony begins with “Black Hole”, with an infectious opening riff and its sing-along chorus; a real standout track on the album. Things slow down a notch for the next song, “Savior”, a more contemplative tune, with yet another catchy chorus. The album seems to follow a pattern of alternating between a fast song followed by a slower one, and so on and so forth, giving the record a good balance. “Savior” is meticulously crafted and proves to be just as solid as the opening cut. “Evil Heart” is a gloomier song with pulse-pounding rhythms, fast-paced, and fun. “Blood” slows things down and has got a retro bluesy vibe. Next up is “Warrior”; this one has a take-no-prisoners attitude, high energy, and provides a good showcase for the drummer. “Rebel” is a gem of a song and my second favorite on the record. It’s another slower-paced track which erupts at one point, a kind of ballad with teeth as they used to be called back in the day. The chanting of “Now is the time to rise, Lord of flies” will find its way into your brain and stick there. “Break You Down” is more of a reverse ballad, if there is such a thing. It’s melodic, catchy, distorted, and memorable, with some awesome guitar playing. The album closer, “You”, is my absolute favorite song on this superb record. It’s music to drive to on a desert highway wearing shades with the windows rolled down going way faster than the speed limit. The very definition of a classic rock tune.

Wytch’s Exordium is in my opinion a strong contender for album of the year thus far. I’d also go as far as say that it’s potentially Ripple Music’s best album released in 2021, and that’s saying a lot. Ripple have had a phenomenal year up to now in terms of bands and albums they’ve put out—maybe their best ever—and show no sign of slowing down. I’ve heard a lot of their output, but to me, Wytch takes the crown as the finest record of the year, five months into 2021. Do yourself a favor and add this record/digital album to your collection ASAP!

Ripple Music’s Wytch Bandcamp page: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/exordium

Book of Wyrms - Occult New Age

Book of Wyrms return with their third offering, Occult New Age, and their first on the Desert Records label. This album couldn’t have had a more appropriate title as it perfectly sums up its contents. And what a phenomenal album it is! In my humble opinion, it checks all the boxes of what makes a great occult/space rock/heavy psych/doom record: Atmospheric, a copious amount of fuzz, chock-full of psychedelic ‘70s vibes, haunting vocals, and great musicianship.

Sarah Moore Lindsey’s ethereal vocals and the quartet’s sludgy rhythms begin the spiritual journey on “Meteoric Dagger”. Next up, “Colossal Yield” has echoes of Sabbath and features a good blend of Magick and darkness with its retro ‘70s feel. “Albrionlilly” is a short, quiet, soothing acoustic interlude; the calm before the proverbial storm that will follow. With “Hollergoblin”, we have a strong contender for song of the year right here; cryptic, epic, and invoking a vintage sound. “Keinehora” puts the listener under a trance from the get-go and is a perfect psychedelic one-two punch along with “Hollergoblin”. “Speedball Sorcerer” is a pearl of a rock n’ roll song with organ playing that channels Jon Lord and Ray Manzarek. “Weatherworker” is another gem of a song about a summoning, with killer riffs and dueling guitars. The album’s closing cut, “Dracula Practice”, would make the Lord of the Undead proud and is worthy of the Prince of Darkness himself.

With its occult themes and songs about good and evil, Magick and summons, Occult New Age is a veritable spiritual trip. It can best be described as an album that evokes musical energy and paints images that really get you to feel its intensity. It lingers with you long after it ends and makes you yearn to experience it again soon. For fans of Hawkwind, occultism, space/stoner rock, and doom and all its variations, Book of Wyrms’ latest is a must have record!

Book of Wyrms’ Bandcamp page: https://bookofwyrms.bandcamp.com/music 

Mothman and The Thunderbirds - Into the Hollow

I’ve always been a sucker for concept albums. The prog rock genre and its cousins, metal and stoner, seem to lend themselves particularly well to concept albums. The focus of the record I’ll be reviewing today, Into the Hollow by Mothman and The Thunderbirds, is on the infamous Mothman, the creature first seen by hundreds of witnesses in Point Pleasant, West Virginia in the late ‘60s. The legend of the Mothman was popularized by author John Keel in his 1975 book The Mothman Prophecies which was later turned into an excellent film starring Richard Gere and Laura Linney in 2002.

Mothman and The Thunderbirds is really a one-man band, that of musician extraordinaire Alex Parkinson. For his debut album, Alex aka Mothman and The Thunderbirds, unleashes an eclectic sludge and stoner metal album with elements of prog rock. However, I must preface this review by saying that this album contains some harsh/aggressive vocals and that’s typically not something I enjoy listening to, nor is it the kind of music that I review on this blog. I’ve made an exception for this album because that kind of singing works well here, for the most part, with the overall mood of the record and the end results proving to be quite melodic.

“Mothman Takes Flight” begins the sonic journey with some head-bobbing guitars and rhythms, followed by “Hollow Earth”, a catchy tune sung with the use of a vocoder that adds a nice layer to the song. Next up is “Nomad”, a hell of a good track with some excellent guitar work and one of the highlights of the album in my opinion. “Indrid Cold” follows, one of the two cuts I enjoyed the least; the vocals were a little too harsh for my taste on this one. “Infinite Ocean” sees guest vocalist Jason Roberts (of the one-man band "Breaths") handling vocal duties on some verses. It has prog rock tendencies, much to my delight, and does some very interesting stuff musically with the song’s tempo. Don’t let the odd title of the next song fool you, “The Simpsons = Real Footage”, because it’s a doozy! With guest singer, Kirby, adding some nice female vocals to the mix for this song about the sad state of the world today. “Agarthan Riders” is a solid song, and one of my favorites, with a killer guitar solo reminiscent of the good old days of metal, featuring Alex’s brother, Sam, on guitars. “Cloud Giant”, with Joe Sobieski on lead vocals, is the most radio-friendly track on the record with elements of psych rock and is a song of hope, about coming home. “Squonk” (no, this isn’t a cover of the 1976 Genesis song) clocking in at less than a minute serves as a prelude to “Roko’s Basilisk”, the second song I didn’t care for on the album due to harsh vocals—or my old ears just being too sensitive for that kind of singing in my old age. The ride comes to an end with “Hollow Sun”, an uplifting song to close the album with light triumphing over darkness.

While not for everybody, Into the Hollow is a fine album, full of musical prowess, terrific songwriting skills, and a very polished record overall. If you don’t mind harsh vocals every now and then, and are into great musicianship, you’re bound to have a good time with Mothman and The Thunderbirds’ debut album. Running at just over 30 minutes, as seems to be the growing trend for album runtimes these days, it makes for a short and speedy listen you’ll want to revisit often. The album is available for pre-order and will be released on May 21st.

Mothman and The Thunderbirds’ Bandcamp page: https://mothmanandthethunderbirds.bandcamp.com

Howling Giant - Alteration

Happy 4/20 everybody! Hot off the presses for the occasion, today we focus on a release from a band that’s rapidly becoming a household name in the stoner rock scene: Howling Giant. The Nashville, Tennessee quartet decided to put out an instrumental EP made up of some of their Twitch jams, polishing them up and recording them in the studio. The end result is a four-song EP titled Alteration.

Hot on the heels of some terrific releases in 2020, Howling Giant deliver the goods yet again with Alteration. While they didn’t have a full-length album out last year, they covered Black Sabbath’s “Lord of this World” to perfection and also performed a stunning rendition of Alice in Chains’ “Rooster” on Magnetic Eye Records’ Sabbath and AIC tribute albums respectively. Their most noteworthy accomplishment of 2020 though remains what is in my opinion the most epic psych/stoner song of the year released as part of a split with Sergeant Thunderhoof on Ripple Music’s Turned To Stone Chapter 2. Their song titled “Masamune” is an absolute master class in crafting an epic piece of rock music.

Alteration is an in-between album to tide us over until their next full-length record. We can witness and hear the band evolving on these instrumental pieces. Every track has its own distinct persona. “Understudy” kicks things off with a riff that makes you wanna yell “Hell, yeah!” It gives off some cool prog rock vibes and is one heck of a fun jam. “Luring Alluring Rings” really nails Howling Giant’s signature sound. More than any other cut, this piece is instantly recognizable as a Howling Giant song, akin to the way one can differentiate a Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, or David Gilmour guitar riff/solo mere seconds into it. The penultimate track, “Enemy of My Anemone”, starts off slower but spirals into a quicker pace. I wonder what this one would sound like with lyrics. It feels like it would be a great song! We end this 21-minute trip with “Farmer Maggot’s Crop”, featuring country blues/bluegrass guitar virtuoso Mike T. Kerr. The shortest track on the EP, but far from the worst; it has a multitude of sonic layers that feel almost comforting, like gazing at stars in a cloudless sky at night.

There isn’t a single dud on this short but incredibly replayable EP. Howling Giant was already a band that I loved, but this set of instrumentals has given me a newfound appreciation of their musical talents. I am eagerly anticipating their next full-length album. If you wanna celebrate 4/20 in style or are just looking for some damn fine stoner/psych/desert rock music, then throw a fiver their way and pick up Alteration.

Howling Giant’s Bandcamp page: https://howlinggiant.bandcamp.com/music