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

Howling Giant - Black Hole Space Wizard Pt. 1 (2016)

Hailing from Tennessee, Howling Giant are the kind of stoner metal act that pushes the genre a little further than most. With a wonderfully catchy vocal end that features elements from all three of these musicians, as well as four distinctly different songs that take off in ways I wouldn't imagine, Howling Giant might be one of the best up and coming stoner/rock acts in the state right now. There is an obvious commercial edge to pieces like “Mothership” and “Clouds Of Smoke” but in my eyes, that follows in the same kind of territory as Mastodon's more accessible Crack The Skye release and I'm not complaining one iota. The band are able to craft what I'd consider rather complex, keyboard driven hypnotic atmospheres that even feature a little bit of H.G. Wells thrown in for good measure. Fans of various stoner acts, as well as stuff like Mastodon, Kyuss, Floor and maybe even Tool will find something here, but just keep in mind that there are a hefty amount of doom riffs to be found on some of the cuts here. I've listened to it probably around five or six times now and can't wait for the second part!

(4 Tracks, 21:00)

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

Bound By Fate - Steadfast (2016)

Ohio's Bound By Fate are an act that I would personally consider a bluesy type of southern fried stoner/doom and sludge metal that sounds a lot better on this sophomore than they did with the first time I heard it. I seem to recall passing on these guys the first time they were sent to me, but for some odd reason I really seem to dig it now. There's still some rough edges, like “Condemnation” which still has some harsh vocal issues. I understand he's going for a sort of death metal approach, but it seems like he might be killing his throat here. On the less vocal intensive cuts like “Broke Apart” and “Rebuild The Man” I'm reminded a bit more of Down and I think it suits both him and the rest of the band a bit better. I remember hearing “Crooked Blue” a while back and I did like it, but I'm hearing what I'd consider even better material on this debut record. Even though it's short, it shows you that these guys could really be something. I'll add that the entire solo on “Rebuild The Man” faded right into the background and needs to be raised (I literally couldn't hear it at all) but I'll be lenient as these guys do offer enough of a bite for people to take notice. Steadfast is a really thick and furious metal album that stands on it's own two feet pretty well, regardless of the fact that a few things might not have gone so well in the studio this first time around. There's no reason why a band like this shouldn't get some attention and I'm quite pleased with the amount of enraged vigor that I'm hearing here. I just don't think the growls on “Condemned” should be attempted again, as that just didn't fucking work at all. Other than that, I think it's a pretty decent record and I'd definitely recommend people looking for a hard-hitting shot of adrenal sludge to give it a listen. Bound By Fate certainly sound better here than on the last time I heard them, and hopefully they'll continue that trend on future albums. There's definitely promise here, especially if you're looking for a fist to the jaw.

(7 Tracks, 25:00)

7/10

Taarkus - Stones (2016)

Taarkus, even though they might sound like a brand of obscure Norwegian black metal; are actually a Californian psychedelic occult rock group with a female vocalist as the center-point. I'm welcomed by heavily watered down doom riffs that portray instead a more rock nature, as eerie synths compose most of the background, along with some unexpected and rather welcoming flute work. I'm getting a little bit of Goblin influence here as far as the instrumentation is concerned, which is a good thing. Especially for this kind of act. The riffs do manage to pick up a bit and lead into a more doomy atmosphere, but it still gives off more of a rock feeling than anything else. I personally feel that the flute and keyboards really stick out here, especially when the riff compositions are at most pretty commonplace for the genre. But we wouldn't want it to change that much, would we? While there are just two songs here, they're enough to show what Taarkus is capable of and if you like creepy doom rock stuff with female vocals, you'll find something in it. (The Grim Lord)

3/5

Buffalo Theory MTL - Skeptic Knight (2016)

Buffalo Theory MTL are a stoner doom act from Quebec that pretty much perform a rather solid take on the genre. The vocal approach here is a bit thick, so it might be hard for some listeners to get into; but the record is full of heat, thunder, groove and blues at heart, which I think is what the listener will appreciate most. There aren't a lot of songs here, and they aren't all that long either, but they show enough of Buffalo Theory MTL to make you a believer. I can't just trample all over the band because the vocal approach is a bit more foreign then I'm used to, especially if musically the approach is top-notch. These guys will get your feet on the floor and your head banging regardless. The formula works well and probably comes off rather well live. There are a lot of these kinds of acts out there right now, but Buffalo Theory MTL have enough where it musically counts to stand toe to toe with the rest of them. They exemplify the genre, which is certainly not the worst thing you can do. If you like stoner doom with loads of catchy groove and blues moments, then you'll find something here to like. (The Grim Lord)

3/5

A Thousand Sufferings - Burden (2016)

Considered blackened doom, these Belgians also enjoy their grooves and moments of stoner rock as well, adding up to a performance that is certainly uncommon for the blackened doom genre. But you want to know what it really sounds like? Well, if you liked Celtic Frost's Monotheist and the Tryptikon work as of recent, then you're really going to find something here and I don't mean maybe. It has that stoner-doom feel, but with a definite black metal tinge that just goes perfectly with with the goblin bark of the frontman. Keeping that in mind, we also get some classic rock style solos (while still keeping that blackened groove intact, mind you) which might seem a bit out of place in other genres, but seem to work here. It just feels natural and fans of this stuff will want it in their collection from the first listen. “Bloodletting” opens it with a thick approach more common to what I just mentioned, while “Lamentation” adds a little bit of atmosphere to deviate things up a bit before traversing familiar territory. “Remembering Treasures” is where it all ends, but offers us an expected dose of what in the background almost feels like My Dying Bride style doom, complete with a vocal style that feels much different from what we've been hearing. It's a nice change of pace, as I was worried that this type of band could end up in a sort of derivative rut that makes them nothing more than a Triptykon clone. Fortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case and although admittedly rough in some areas, this is a step in the right direction. I wouldn't mind hearing more from these guys in the future. (The Grim Lord)

3/5

Duck Hunters - Extinction Road (2015)

I like France's Duck Hunters for some odd reason and I can't quite tell you why. There was just something rough and sludgy about this thumping fuzzy rock that had me jamming from “Killer Croc” all of the way to the unexpectedly lengthy, “Hands Of Doom.” But it also might be that these guys love their blues and I can definitely get down with thick blues rock/metal stuff. To say that it was “really groovy” wouldn't be doing it justice, especially when these guys have their share of doom moments here and there, especially on the aforementioned closer. There are also some nice melodies intertwined here, which make the music a little more entertaining than some might think at first glance. The vocal approach might not sound that great at first, but Manu clearly has a lot of power in his lines and I can hear that. These guys also love their instrumental soundscapes, where they pump in psychedelic jam sessions, which go perfect with the grooves already featured on the disc.

Surprisingly, these songs are pretty thick too. I'm not just talking about grooves and doom riffs either. We've got that already, I'm talking about in terms of meat and texture. There are a lot of sections on cuts like “Last Broadcast” and “The Bill” which goes almost into prog rock territory. Duck Hunters might sound like a bunch of really thick stoner/doom rockers and they probably are, but there's still no denying that all of this comes off entirely listenable. As you can hear from the disc, these guys really put a lot of hard work into it and that also gives the listener a lot of unexpected surprises. “Killer Croc” is a great, catchy little song – but it doesn't even help to explain the whole album or what these guys are truly capable of. That being said, there is an odd little ditty called “Exile” which makes me think of an Irishman leaving his homeland as he tips his hat and walks off towards... well, England I guess. Do Irishmen tip their hats?

In any case, if you're adventurous enough for stoner/doom rock experiments, then you're really going to love this one. Lyrically it might not be quite as lighthearted as you'd expect, especially on “The Bill” which can get about as gritty as some of my lyrics can be. Sometimes you just have to sing what people need to hear, and not what they want. In my opinion, there's too many songs out there telling people what they want to hear as it is. Extinction Road is pretty powerful stuff and I definitely recommend it. This is one of those records that caught me by surprise and maybe it'll do the same to you. Great stuff, don't let it get buried under the sea of other releases.

(8 Tracks, 39:00)

8/10