Album Review - 'Bless The Earth With Fire' by Allfather

Swift has been the rise of Allfather in the South-East England heavy music scene. Having previously released a 4 track EP ’No Gods. No Masters.' in 2015, they now return with ‘Bless The Earth With Fire’ via Portland’s Static Tension Recordings. Formed on the banks of the Medway delta in Kent, England, Allfather are a dark & brooding 5-piece who’ve been fed intravenously the likes of Eyehategod, High on Fire and drops of East coast hardcore, all to create a lethal dose of their own sludge-metal.

Adopting the slogan "Beards. Metal. Fuck You.” this record is the sound of a band refusing to be pigeon-holed into one style. Instead, fusing grooves and riffs in a way they want... whilst giving you the finger. Yet the songwriting craft manages to not only straddle the world’s of sludge, hardcore, metal and doom, but bring them together in one pissed-off and hairy package.

For a start, these guys love their riffs. There’s plenty to get your teeth into if you like guitar tones that could melt iron. Vocally, Tom Ballard’s ability across the screaming spectrum sits well on-top and adds those moments of energy and raw emotion just when required. And the production captures the heaviness of the band delivering a claustrophobic sense you're in the same room as them... ears ringing and surrounded with a stench of blood and sweat.

For me, Allfather own more menace and originality when they’re exploring the sludgy side of their personality, captured perfectly on slow-groove of ‘The Bloody Noose’ which opens with a signature lead riff setting the tone before stepping up a gear in a foot-stomping mid-section. Again, the opus that is ‘Death, And Hell Followed With Him’ is probably the highlight of the band’s career to date - an 11 minute monster which stretches the band’s sound further into more sludgy-doom territory.

If you like your NOLA-inspired sludge, you couldn’t go wrong checking out ‘Bless The Earth With Fire’. It's apparent Allfather have evolved their sound and have begun to hit their stride with this record. And it's brutal. Fuck you.

Check out the album bonus track 'Blood Red Sunset' below...

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Disenchanter Back to Earth C.D (re-master) Noslip records

Following an epic night of riffs, beer and tacos at the 2015 Coo Coo Nest Rocktober fest in Port Angeles Wa. I found myself standing in a graveyard a few blocks from my house under an October full moon smoking some sweet leaf with Joey, Jay and Sabine of the superb band Disenchanter, we went back to my house popped on the new Mad Max and I passed out. It was a great night but a fuzzy morning, pancakes were eaten and Lego's were built. I am always happy to spend time and stages with these fine people so I am beyond stoked to write this review for the re-mastered Back to Earth/On through portals C.D. Which was handled for Noslip records by none other then my good friend Tony Reed (Mos Generator/Stone Axe.) I could write for day's about Disenchanter's beautifully heavy live shows but we'll leave the writing for this release. 1. Back to earth starts with some foot stomping up tempo'd head banging riffage that puts the listener right in the mood to throw back some golden throat charmers and let fly the devil horns. 2. I am Alive is right where you really start to see Sabine's masterful vocal abilities shine only to be followed by her equally awesome axe skills while Joey and Jay stay locked in for the ride..I am alive indeed. 3. Rainbows-sit back with bong in hand relax and take the ride that is Disenchanter. On through Portals is where I was introduced to this bands music (thank you Cody Foster) and is on my list of favorite albums or ep's if you will. To sum it up, I've seen entire rooms of people stop and just listen with mouths agape while they play these songs, myself included. Only a few bands can pull off the longer "Doom" songs and keep you from losing interest or wandering off, Disenchanter is one of them, their use of dynamics and crescendo's is what makes this musical ride so fun. These 3 Portlandites have mastered their craft by trudging through the trenches of the Northwest and will be on many more stages this summer and fall, including Psycho Las Vegas and Erosion Festival in Missoula Montana. Do yourself a favor, buy all their music and go see them live. On a side note, Strange Creations will be released on Vinyl through D.H.U records later this fall. https://youtu.be/A1XBWd7brkg disenchanterpdx@gmail.com