In My Embrace - Black Waters Deep (2016)

The debut full-length from Sweden's In My Embrace is a little short, but it's longer than their earlier released EP recording, Dead To Dust Descend. The material here is most certainly inspired by Dissection albums like The Somberlain and Storm Of The Light's Bane, but we could also equate them with acts like God Dethroned and Naglfar. There are also some modernisms here and there in the vein of core, but that's only in the song structure. Let's just say that some of this might feature a bit more groove than you're willing to wade through, but I personally wouldn't have considered it a detriment. Also, some of the tremolos come off with a notable potency as you'll notice on “Into Oblivion” which would have been a far more fitting way to open the record than the more modern-influenced title track. I think In My Embrace decided to incorporate more groove numbers onto the disc in order to differentiate them from Dissection, by which they can sound like a clone. Not that that's a bad thing, after all – some of the melodies seem to be right up there with some of Dissection's most memorable, as well as Naglfar who are as we know; quite similar. I could add Thulcandra, but we all know very well what those guys were trying to achieve.

So how much groove am I getting, Grim Lord? Well, let me tell you. Aside from the title track, you're getting “Of Ache and Sorrow” as well “Voyage Of Thoughts” which seem to also encroach upon doom, so it's not like these guys are playing blues. We also have a couple of traditional rock solos on the record, but they come backed by Tommy Holmer's session drumming, which is actually fantastic. Black Waters Deep is yet another case for why bands shouldn't be afraid to use a session drummer, especially in their case. When these guys move into black metal territory, Holmer's blasts really seem to accentuate that perfectly. Another piece of this puzzle that caught my attention was frontman Kenneth Larsson's ravenous vocal approach which fits very well here within the equally ravenous tunes that these guys can dish out. These performances are sometimes backed by guitarists Bosse Öhman and Johan Sjöblom which can add even more of a bite to the performance. The atmosphere of the record is rather bleak, but at times can be rather fierce and demonic depending on the piece. The disc can actually be quite bass-heavy as well, hence the groove sections I mentioned earlier. But even though bassist Jon Brundin is actually getting the kind of respect that most bassists deserve when it comes to this kind of music (this kind of blackened/melodic death metal has not been known for being very bass-heavy) there aren't any sections on this record that I feel take away from it's overall mood. Even when these guys channel their inner doom/death with “Next Chapter” it still retains an overall bleak and somewhat folk/black metal atmosphere, which is very important.

It can be clearly stated that there is at least some degree of variety here, but it's not so varied as to sound like a different band all the time. In My Embrace just want to showcase the fact that they are not a gothic metal act with a female singer, not a Dissection rip-off and not completely glued to one style of music. That to me says quite a bit and I feel that much was done within the span of thirty-four minutes. I won't say that all of the songs are my cup of tea and perhaps a little derivative of other familiar acts and styles, but I'm certainly not upset with that. You shouldn't be either. Black Waters Deep is the kind of record that only gets better with more listens, so give it at least one!

(10 Tracks, 34:00)

8/10

Buzzard Canyon - Hellfire & Whiskey (2016)

Rolling in like a mix of doom, blues and rock n' roll, we have the warm and fuzzy sound of Connecticut's Buzzard Canyon. The quintet seems to offer a slew of catchy choruses, but there's also a great deal of thickness insofar as the compositions are concerned. “Louder Than God” actually allows for quite a bit of atmosphere, showing that the band can achieve a bit more than the bits of blues rock that you're getting for the majority of the album. Vocals on the record are actually doled out between a strong female frontwoman and a admittedly tough to hear male backing vocalist. Sometimes he takes over the vocal duties himself, especially during one section of the disc where he attempts a little bit of Danzig. If you'll listen closely, you'll hear some harsh vocal elements in the back as well. This kind of adds a bit more bite to the disc, but again – it's tough to hear. The frontwoman sometimes utilizes the same harsh vocal elements, which you can of course hear a bit better in the mix. Often these two duet, but you'd never know it because the male vocalist's mic is so low in the mix for a reason that escapes me. Also, the band is a little lower in the mix than it should be. I'm hearing my bluesy doomy thumps, but the vocals are just too clearly heard over them, which kind of kills the atmosphere that they were going for. It sounds like they were recorded in another room apart from the music (which is sometimes the case) but Buzzard Canyon like any good doomy bluesy rocky act, is more of a live band. You want the kind of feeling where maybe the lyrics aren't so audible because the thick thunder of bass and drums work to drown them out sometimes. When you see these guys live, you're going to experience just that. They currently only have one live show planned right now for December 3rd in their hometown, but maybe next year they'll really be able to take this show on the road. 

Again, this is a relatively stout and overly groovy little album, but it's definitely going to stand out much better on the stage along with some Sabbath and Manilla Road covers, perhaps. Buzzard Canyon aren't bad at all and this is a pretty good debut from my observation. It obviously has some rough edges, but that will be ironed out when these guys come back to the studio for the next one. Hellfire & Whiskey definitely contains some pretty impressive moments as far as some of the leads and solos are concerned, but there's not enough of them to really stand out right now. Again, this is literally the Connecticut act's first major musical output and I'm sure that they'll only get better with time. I do like that some of the harsh vocal moments are quite out there in the open, really pumping in some unexpected moments of groove and animosity where I honestly would not have expected it. Definitely give them a listen, but it's definitely going to work better onstage.

(8 Tracks, 35:00)

6/10

Sacred Steel - Heavy Metal Sacrifice (2016)

The first thing I noticed about this ninth full-length offering from German stalwarts Sacred Steel, is that I had to turn it up a little bit. I had a hard time hearing it as the production volume is a little low. That's fine though, as they're obviously going for a much more raw approach to their brand of epic heavy metal. If you'll look on Metal Archives right now, you'll see a whopping 93% on this album by slayr666 and though that guy seems to know what he's talking about, I guess I'm going to come across as a bit of an alternative to the positive review. That's not to say that Heavy Metal Sacrifice is a bad record, but that perhaps it's not THAT good. I don't know, folks – somewhere along the line this one tends to lose me. If I can be honest, it might just boil down to the fact that I don't like Gerrit P. Mutz's (Angel Of Damnation, Battleroar, Dawn Of Winter) vocals. You see, even though the band have been together since '97, I've never heard these guys before now. Not even one single album. Musically, I think the record seems to combine thrash, power metal and classic heavy metal in a fine fashion. The songs are also thickly structured as much longer cuts like “The Sign Of The Skull” and “Let There Be Steel” manage to allow enough breathing room for more acoustic and slightly somber sections. Current guitarists Jens Sonnenberg and Jonas Khalil (My Darkest Hate) absoutely kill on this record, with a memorable drum performance offered by Matthias Straub (Naevus) and some nice bass licks from Kai Schindelar(Lanfear). As far as Mutz goes, I am not saying that he is a bad vocalist, but his performance here isn't really working for me. On most songs, that is. I absolutely love the almost doom-like structures given to “Beyond The Gates Of Ninevah” which offers a completely different approach to the band and livens up the formula quite a bit for me. Of the several songs I've listened to here, this one really works well for me even though it's the technical closer to the disc (the less said about “Iron Donkey” the better) and it's a bit unfortunate that it took nearly the entire listen before I found something that I really liked.

Going deeper into the listen, I begin to notice that there are some good thrash cuts here like “Hail The Godz Of War” and “The Dead Walk The Earth” which reminds me a lot of early Sabbat, and that's always a good thing. I'm also reminded of early Slough Feg (back when they were The Lord Weird Slough Feg) which also works for me. Let's even go with Satan. Yes, Satan works for me here as well. I suppose that fans of Satan, Slough Feg, Sabbat and several more (MA gives me acts like Skelator, Helstar, Running Wild and even 3 Inches Of Blood, which I agree with to varying degrees) will certainly find something to like in what feels like a very English inspired German heavy metal. I even hear some Primordial in the riffing that makes up “Vulture Priest” which is not an infleunce I expected. There's definitely a tribal vibe flowing through that one. So perhaps now that I've given the disc a chance to warm up, I should change my answer, as it were.

That being said, I still don't think this disc deserves a 93% but I'd certainly feel right giving it a strong 80%. Maybe if I listened to it a few more times, I would consider it even higher. Heavy Metal Sacrifice brings us back to the days when an individual actually had to sit down and fully take in an album, which is one reason that I think it might excel above some of their others (the average MA review scores from the band range from 55% to 80% respectively, but it mostly hovers within the upper seventies) and could net them the first 80% or 85% score percentage since the band's debut. I know that most of this must be boring you to tears, but it interests me greatly as a reviewer as it could literally be one of the best albums that these gentlemen have ever recorded. Maybe I'll even throw in the fact that Mutz's vocals are actually starting to grow on me a bit now. I gave this record an inaugural listen and noticed a couple things that I liked, but on this second one I'm really starting to notice quite a bit of things that I do like. If I haven't said it enough already, this is what I would definitely consider to be pristinely written and genuine heavy metal. When we get into the softer portion of “Let There Be Steel” we begin to experience true emotion, beefing up and already potent number from the beginning. Even if Mutz's vocals don't catch on with you in the beginning, you probably just need to sit down and soak it in. Heavy Metal Sacrifice isn't a fly by night recording by any means. You're going to have to listen to it in order to really understand the kind of adventure you're being taken on. There is definitely some modernism in the downtuned bass here and there, but the overall aura of the disc feels grained in the early eighties, even though these guys aren't in any way an eighties act.

Noting all of this, the disc is not perfect. “Iron Donkey” should have been scrapped and I won't even consider it part of the album. It's just a little silly thing that the band did on what is a very strong and serious album. Especially since it truly ends on such a powerful note as “Beyond The Gates Of Ninevah” a track that I could listen to many times over. I think it was that cut that really convinced me to dig back into some of the earlier cuts and give this record a truly fair observance. I would ask that you do the same. There's definitely something here, but it might not make itself known in the very beginning. Sacred Steel fans will be happy to know that Heavy Metal Sacrifice was well worth waiting for. Just give it some time, alright?

(11 Tracks, 48:00)

8/10

Vultures Vengeance - Where The Time Dwelt In (2016)

Italian heavy metal act Vultures Vengeance have just released their debut EP and it's going to be a real must for fans of classic, galloping doom influenced heavy metal acts like Manilla Road for instance. Oddly enough, frontman/guitarist Tony T. Steele reminds me of a young Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian) albeit in a much slower style of music. It almost feels a little bit creepy in that regards, making me wonder what kind of band Blind Guardian might have sounded like if they weren't thrash or power metal. Though the performance is a little raw and rough around the edges in some ways, there's still enough of a presence to leave a mark on me and that leaves me feeling rather confident that this act could succeed. One thing about the record that I have to mention are it's strong leads, which could be performed by both Steele or Nail (Necromancer) and certainly manage to bring a bit of beauty to the hefty bass riffs delivered by Matt Savage (Necromancer). The drumming performed by Kosathral Khel is quite commonplace to the genre, and it more or less serves as a common backbone for the heavily doom-influenced style. We're also getting a slew of memorable guitar solos that befit such longer pieces like “On A Prisoner's Tale” and if that isn't enough to demonstrate the kinds of things that this band can perform musically, we have an instrumental closing note in “Where The Time Stands Still” in which this very point is illustrated beautifully. I'd definitely recommend giving this album a listen, as these Italian heavy metallers are certainly onto something. This is a pretty solid debut and it's well worth an ear.

(5 Tracks, 26:00)

7/10

Traffic Death/Lurking Corpses - Split Personality (2016)

I don't review much punk here, because I frankly can't fucking stand most of it, or that scene for that matter. Especially now that social justice culture has worked it's way into the scene. That being said, this is a split between two bands from Des Moines and Ft. Wayne with both offering a different approach to punk than I've heard before. Traffic Death started out with a pretty common punk flair, right up there with the Ramones or Misfits, especially in the “whoa-oh” sections. Then they decided to turn a song about their frustration with remakes and new shit into a rather scathing punk cut. The riffs were pretty derivative of the punk genre, but the frontman offered an absurdly harsher vocal approach that I quite enjoyed.

Next we have the equally scathing Lurking Corpses, which aren't strangers to me as I've reviewed them before – but this time around they're experimenting with thick, heavy bouts of doom as well as some death metal growls on “Human Scar.” It's also the longest cut on the disc. Considering the length of this thing, that's not long. After that, they just go into fast numbers that come in and out and don't really leave a mark. It's like when an artist just kind of says, “Eh, fuck it – we'll just write two quick tracks and clal it a day.” But that's what they did. It's a decent disc with slight bits of promise and even though I don't really like a lot of punk, I'll accept this as a relatively decent disc.

(5 Tracks, 8:00)

6/10

Black Royal - The Summoning Pt.2 (2016)

While I don't remember the first part of The Summoning from these Finnish /stoner/death metallers, this second one definitely caught my attention. Musically, we're getting a doom approach with some extra bells and whistles (especially in the vein of melody) that help to accentuate what can be some rather rough growls from the frontman. Maybe there's a little bit of thrash to be found in sections as well, it just depends on the track. We even get some rather ethereal keyboard sections on “Reclaim The Throne” which starts out as a downright pounder. The track pounds you into the ground as if lifts you up and carries you into an enchanted forest. Go figure.

The rest of the cuts after that one are quite heavy, more along the lines of what you were expecting and they all feature a great deal of heavy bass and harsh vocals coupled with some bluesy guitar solos. I don't feel that anything goes as out of bounds as the ending of “Reclaim The Throne” even though “Demonspawn” does have a few more light-hearted moments, particularly when the keyboards return just slightly to give it an unexpectedly angelic feeling right before one last pounding.

Black Royal proves that they've got something a bit more to offer the stoner/death scene, even if that's the mere addition of melodies and keyboard bits. In any case, it's worth checking out if you're looking for a slightly different flavor than many similar bands in the genre.

(6 Tracks, 25:00)

6/10

Sea Of Bones/Ramlord - Split (2016)

We have two similar, yet different acts here, the first one being Connecticut's sludge/drone/doomers Sea Of Bones and the other New Hampshire's crust-punk/black metallers Ramlord, which sounds more like Neurosis in their early era, just with more of a blackened tinge. I say that both acts seem similar because regardless of genres, they both seem to be going for the same style of sludge and doom influence on this EP.

Sea Of Bones haven't had a great deal of records, certainly not as many as Ramlord; but they do have the potential to go quite far if they continue to do exactly what I'm hearing here. They consider their band to be “a dissonant wall of sound” and would compare themselves to Neurosis and Buried At Sea, which I would say is most comparable among the others here listed. It sounds exactly like that, feeling like a literal fucking wave of monolithic thunder, replete with hoary roars and what feels like a great fog. When I listen to the record, I feel like I'm in the middle of a storm and about to be demolished by a tidal wave of grease, slime and sludge. There is a bit of a calm after the storm however, which allows the piece to breathe well.

Ramlord definitely pump doom into their performance and I'm getting a sort of blackened punk feel, right from the vocals especially. There's even a bit of death grunt to be had, fronting a performance that feels just as foggy as the other. Ramlord aren't big on sludge, but there's definitely a pounding sense of doom here and that's going to be what matters as a whole. The track does feature a big kick as it continues, observing a much different atmosphere than what we got with Sea Of Bones. You can really hear the punk roaring in along with a big tempo change that completely wipes over the doom and almost carries as sense of grindcore with it. Then the doom comes back in, albeit with a sort of celebratory node. It feels like they're having a little bit of a party towards the end of this song, and that's fine.

Closing out this observation, I think both bands prove their worth rather well on an EP that should please fans of both varities of metal. It's not quite doom, sludge, punk, post, drone or black metal, but there are enough elements of each inside of this grimy snack mix to suit your tastes.

(2 Tracks, 20:45)

8/10

Demonomancy/Witchcraft – Archiac Remnants Of The Numinous/ At The Diabolus Hour Split EP (2016)

Here we have a split from two black/death acts, one based in Italy with the other based in Finland. We're first going to focus on Italy's Demonomancy which comes across with a powerfully warm and quite abrasive sound. The frontman's vocals don't feel too tacky either, this is an act that really seems to embody that whole spirit of death and black metal, albeit I'll say that there are more doom elements here than I've heard in lieu of black metal, making the classification a bit off. There's also a sort of classic Slayer styled solo bit on the disc, which lends even less to the kind of approach you might expect. That being said, it creates an atmosphere that I think is far more foreboding than what one might expect to be a lot of black metal blasts and tremolo-riffs holding hands with death metal in the same way that we've all heard a dozen times to say. That's not to say that it isn't that, sometimes – but it tries very hard not to be. These guys would rather groove than blast, which sets up a much different and more entertaining tempo than what I expected. That being said, I recommend the nearly nine minute title cut to “Underground Church” because the latter is just pretty much what I expected. Nothing wrong with that, but these guys have already shown me that they can do so much more than just regular old black/death.

As for the other guys, we have Finland's Witchcraft. No, not the “Witchcraft” (and seriously, bands should stop using the names of other acts that have already been signed, popularized and licensed because it is confusing as hell) you were thinking of, but a good Witchcraft nonetheless. Originally they were called Blasphemous Witchcraft, so I hope that maybe they'll decide to be that once again. Especially since they're quite good. The very intro to the piece (the title cut) actually felt like another kind of music entirely, something like mist mixed in with diabolatry as the infernal roars of the underworld erupted in much the same way they do when “Grave Immolation” soon adds instruments into the mix. The sound is awfully raw and tough to hear, but Black Moon Necromancer (of some stuff) has got an incredible vocal approach that features such a deep set of chords that I feel as if I'm not even listening to a man anymore. It's comparable to brutal death metal and works much better on the doom-influenced “Perverted Temple Of Goatsodomy” (seriously, you're playing doom riffs and calling yourself Witchcraft? Can't they sue for that?) then it does on the former, even though it still shows me a band that hasn't yet found their style, their footing and their name. Maybe after this split release they'll decide to hone in all of those things.

Both acts seem to do a pretty solid job, but because Demonomancy seem to have their shit together a little bit better, (even though I love those little keyboard atmospheres that (Blasphemous) Witchcraft perform at the beginning and end of their side of the split) I'm going to have to go with them. I feel that fans of a black and death style that don't mind more of a doom approach to the genre will find something more than those looking for just black/death. Worth giving a listen, there's some definite promise to be found here.

(5 Tracks 27:00)

7/10

Fifth To Infinity - Obscure Transdimensional Soulfire (2015)

Formed in Stockholm back in 1997, this Swedish black/death act have apparently only released one album. What they were doing for the past couple of decades remains a mystery, but as of 2015 they released this groundbreaking release of which I am just now hearing via promo. These guys are on Avantgarde records, which also houses our spotlight album this year from Dagian and have since become a banner of quality in my eyes. Now the record didn't really sell me from “Reapers Wake” but when the tremendous thumping groove riffs of “Masters Unbound” came into view, I was taken from the first listen. It's quite interesting to me that Secrets Of The Moon are also tagged on the band's page, because there's a great deal to this record that reminds me of earlier Secrets Of The Moon, right before the change of style they pursued in last year's Sun. I wasn't the biggest fan of Sun despite the occasional couple of tracks, so it's quite natural that I'd look for a damn replacement for that style. Fifth To Infinity definitely seem to fill that void for me, with a definite reminder of albums like Carved In Stigmata Wounds, Privilegivm and my all-time favorite, Seven Bells. Even hearing something remotely like Seven Bells is cause for celebration in my eyes, especially when Fifth To Infinity sound like they've taken that hevaily ritualistic style of black death and made it their own.

What you might find rather interesting about this act are the players in it. For one, we've got the almighty Martin Lopez (Soen, Ex-Eternal, Ex-Amon Amarth hasn't sounded good since, Ex-Opeth might never sound that good again) on drums, along with Nader Jonas Reslan on guitars and vocals (ex-Vinterkrig – Martin Lopez was also in this band at one point) as well as David Lidh on bass, which is suprisingly loud and prominent on this record. Omnipotent Transdimensional Soulfire is the kind of record that revels in a sea of downtuned bass chugs, making them quite fearsome and less groovy, which is something I expect for a black metal record reviewed on The Grim Tower. Reslan's vocals are pleasingly volatile, with a mix between a growl and a rasp that sounds nearly threatening, matching the bleak and mystical presence of the music. If this is a magical ritual of some sort, than it definitely of the bleakest and most potent kind, truly usurping brighter efforts in the might of it's overbearing viscosity.

Perhaps certain sections of leads might become buried (Death Shall Wake Us All) within the weight of Lidh's bass riffs, but you can't deny that this record carries a sort of gelatinous evil with it, the kind that would eat a man alive in it's acidic grasp. The disc also has a long staying power and truly seems like the result of several decades of work. But if you're going to be around for more than twenty years and only release one record, then it had better be a great one. Thankfully it is, even beating Dark Funeral at their own game in this reviewer's opinion. A lot of times it does seem (and I'm borrowing from Alice Cooper here) that a lot of these black metal bands are trying to one-up one each other and see how evil that can be. While Cooper might find that silly, I find it quite interesting. I'm always ready and waiting to hear how evil an act can sound, and if they've managed to make a truly forlorn, hopeless and decidedly grim release. As long as I've been listening to this kind of music I think I've gotten the feel for how evil a record should sound, as well as for what makes a record seem evil. These gentlemen have the right idea as far as that as concerned, and if you're looking for something truly terrifying, you've come to the right place.

Depending on your listening methods, some of the leads will come out a little better than others (I remember the opening leads on “Secrets Of The Bottom” coming out much better in the mix on my headphones than here on my laptop speakers) and the device you listen to this record on can ultimately affect your enjoyment of it quite a bit. Having accidentally hit the play button twice on a few songs (I was moving appliances while listening to this one) I definitely got more of a taste for this disc than several others I listened to that day. But I didn't mind, as I was really enjoying this disc and to listen to the same song two and three times that day was certainly not an issue.

I feel that this trio completed something that should stand the test of time if enough people can get their ears on it and it doesn't fade away in the dark. It's just too damned good to get neglected in my opinion and I'd really like to hear the trio release another one if at all possible. There's even a shout out to the King Diamond style vocal approach here, so you'll need to pay attention for that. It's pretty easy for me to say that Omnipotent Transdimensional Soulfire is yet another one of my favorite releases this year (or should I say last year?) as with so many others. People who still complain that there isn't any good metal out there anymore (and yes, I hear so many comments like this online) really need to have their ears checked, because I've already highlighted three truly powerful albums this week alone, with more to come I'm quite sure. Being that I'm quite attached to this one, I'd certainly recommend it to you as well. This is black metal the way that I've always loved it, and I hope that you'll find something dark, fearsome and evil within this listen as well. If it doesn't make the hair crawl on the back of your neck, it's just not evil enough. That's what Fifth To Infinity manage to do here and I'm ever thankful for it.

(9 Tracks, 55:00)

9/10

High Priest Of Saturn - Sons of Earth and Sky (2016)

A four-piece mix of doom and heavy, psychedelic rock from Norway; this release marks the quintet's second since their demo in 2011. “Aeolian Dunes” comes on pretty thick right from the start with it's obvious Sabbath influence, but then Martin Sivertsen (guitars) and Ole Kristian Malmedal (keyboards) take it right into proggy Pinky Floyd territory, where trippy whirls, light keys and soft guitar nodes make for a trip through the subconscious. Andreas Hagen (drums) follows in tune along with bassist and frontwoman Merethe Heggset, as the band bring us right into church organs and groove that send us straight into the fourth dimension. When I first heard the piece, it sounded kind of like any female fronted doom (Demon Lung, for example) but when the band opened the window and let the air in a little, I had no idea that the wind was going to blow so strong that it pulled me literally outwards into the fucking stratosphere. It's also a pretty safe bet that I liked that feeling and hope that the other thirty minutes of this record will deliver the same or at least a similar feeling to that ten-minute metaphysical monster. “Ages Move The Earth” has a lighter vibe from the start, with an odd trippy effect coming from Heggset's vocals that make her feel like she's trying to communicate from another dimension entirely. There are still some thick parts to be had, but nothing that takes away from the atmosphere, which is most important. “Son Of Earth and Sky” continues to totally chill me out, while “The Warming Moon” has a little more thump, which doom fans will appreciate. Despite the fact that there are doom fans here, you've really got to accept the fact that most of the material here is really trippy, proggy and psychedelic as hell. There are comics I'd like to read while listening to this kind of stuff, just to enhance the trippy and metaphysical nature of them. When we come to the end, we're faced with another very slow moment in “The Flood Of Waters” which I can certainly say will extend your journey. The disc itself comes in at about forty minutes, so it's not quite a full hour of psychedelic doom/rock fare, but you're definitely going to appreciate what has happened here and I'd definitely consider it one of the best psychedelic experiences I've heard from a doom act in a while. If you liked that Tusmorke I reviewed earlier, pick this one up for a little more meat coupled with yet another amazing trip.

(5 Tracks, 40:00)

8/10

Beelzefuzz - The Righteous Bloom (2016)

If you're looking for a sound that brings to mind acts like Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath, Pentagram and Deep Purple, you'll definitely find it here in the sophomore record from this Maryland based blast from the past. The first thing I want to stress is that the record actually has a pretty clean production value despite the obvious “fuzz” (see there, I made a pun) but it doesn't take away from the value of the work as a whole. Just from the album's opener “Nazriff” I'm already well-aware of what to expect and wouldn't wish for anything else. When the thicker “The Soulless” comes immediately after, I'm still getting a very jammy, groovy, proggy feel and it's not one I'd turn down with a good joint (if I had one) as the band's sound in style definitely falls under a bit of a stoner category for me. But that's okay, because they're doing a very commendable job here and even dish out some rather well-meant guitar solos in addition to the glassy clean vocals and mounds of bass fuzz. I'm currently listening to the album at a volume level of 78 and can't really hear the fuzz as much as I can the cleaner sections, but this could be due to my tuning or some other factor. I can't say for certain that the same could be said for your listening device or preference. In any case, the quartet have certainly focused quite a bit on the vocal elements as they are undoubtedly raised highest in the mix and are heard far before everything else. I don't know how many will sit with this, but it certainly can be said that their frontman has a rather passionate and classically trained approach that makes his lines come off in a pleasing manner. Not all of the songs here carry a pleasant tune however, with some pretty dark nodes coming in around tracks like the doomy title track and “Sanctum & Solace” which actually brings in some funerary elements in areas. I think this gives the band a bit of well-needed variation, though I'll admit that I'd rather hear a bit more darkness from an act by the name of Beelzefuzz. Even so, there's still enough for fans of doom, stoner and jam rock to really jump into and I'd certainly recommend giving it a listen. Just in my short time with it, I can tell that The Righteous Bloom is a product of hard work and that's what you're getting when you buy the record.

(11 Tracks, 46:00)

7/10

AlgomA/Chronobot - Split (2016)

When you mix sludge and electronics together, you get Canada's AlgomA which sounds just as you might expect – thick drudging riffs, furious grooves and a mix of both deep growls (Pthisis) and harsh screams (Electric Fence.) It has some potential and I can't say that I've ever heard electronics infused into such thickly composed sludge before. Honestly, it's pretty cool. As for fellow Canucks Chronobot, they actually have more of a psychedelic feeling to them, taking us on a trip laced with death, doom and good old Alan Moore approved LSD. Some the effects need to come up in the mix a little and I'm having a tough time hearing them over the bluesy sludge, but I'm certainly not going to turn down this interesting of a performance. If Acid Witch was really on acid, you'd get something that sounds like this, proving that keyboards really make a difference in groovy blues/doom. All in all, this is a damn good split from two really stellar and certainly out of the box metal acts. To say that their approach isn't all that common is an understatement. I hope both continue and further evolve their approaches in the future.

(5 Tracks, 24:00)

8/10

Arcana 13 - Danza Macabra (2016)

If you like doom, you're going to find something here in Italy's Arcana 13 who are obviously inspired by horror greats like Luciano Fulci and Dario Argento. According to the press leaflet I have here, the band sort of considers their style to be like a soundtrack of sorts to movies like The Beyond or Inferno (the latter of which I have, so I can actually test that out if need be) which I can certainly see plausible. Obviously they've been influenced by Goblin as well, so much so that they covered the famous “Suspiria” theme. These guys are actually made up of members of Mnemic, The Modern Age Slavery and Void Of Sleep among others, bringing a surprising mix into this occult doom act.

Vocalist and guitarist Simone Bertozzi really makes his presence known here as well, not just in his pleasant clean vocal tones, but also in his seventies inspired riff-matter, which can sometimes take a turn into obscure horror territory that was half-borrowed from Goblin. To be honest, much of this band owes it's existence to acts like Goblin as well as Coven and other early occult rock bands that really helped to pave the way for this kind of creepy music.

Danza Macabra is the kind of record that really can get stuck in your head, just like any good rock album I feel, and that's one of the main reasons why I decided to review it. To me, these proggy infusions bring in a lot of structure to the material and what I'd more or less consider “damn good playing” in general. That can also be coupled with fantastic solos and just an overall terrific doom product. That being said, Danza Macabra doesn't feel very evil and it doesn't feel very dark, or very grim. There's definitely a horror influence, but like Ghost, I find it truly pleasing to listen to in it's catchy, pop-rock friendly nature. (“Land Of Revenge” is a good example of this.) If you're looking for the kind of scary good time that I'd definitely recommend to fans of Ghosts and Goblins, then look no further than here.

(8 Tracks, 52:00)

8/10