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If you are looking for new Stoner Rock, Doom, Heavy Psych or Sludge Metal bands, then you have come to the right place. Heavy Planet has been providing free promotion to independent and unsigned bands since 2008. Find your next favorite band at Heavy Planet. Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Sunday Sludge: Sourvein - Black Fangs

Today's featured Sunday Sludge is Sourvein's long-awaited full-length Black Fangs. Normally I reserve Sunday breakfast for coffee, eggs, ibuprofen, and a thick slab of chewy grime tickling my itching ears. Black Fangs may not suit a sunrise, so I'll suggest listening to this album at night. Oh, and listen to this album at high volume.

I know, guys... we just featured Sourvein as Sunday Sludge in March. Well, consider today's post an addendum to Heavy Planet's March 13th showcase, found here, and allow Black Fangs' reverb-soaked tempo shifts to supplement an already stellar catalog of frightening sludge/doom anthems.

Don't say Sourvein didn't warn you. Fangs delivers 30 seconds of red-flag feedback while drums mock your creeping paranoia. The atmosphere is spooky, the vocals are naked and distant, and the groove shuffles from murky to swampy to downright squalid. The follow-up, Society's Blood, merges plodding doom and chainsaw gristle as drums slap clean up high and sucker-punch the listener's underbelly.

Things grow even more uncanny on Nighteyes, attacking from both speakers with King James's sharp guitars and building to a château scuttle from witches and hounds. You'll look around, frightened, until sounds fall steady. The song remains violent, though, and the bass pulse leaves dregs caked in your hair.

No Sunday Sludge column is complete or effective without a march through sogginess. Holy Transfusion's bass is a prominent chokehold drowning, making you wish you'd packed up your tent and gone the fuck home. Stutter-steps on bass hold their own against relentless drumwork, though the low-end seems to keep asking and answering its own question over and over again. But isn't that a sufficient definition for insanity? Advice from a bearded balcony lingers as the track fades, though this bass fights and never lets go.

Sourvein stay sticky on tracks like Fluxx... and Gemini, where drums are lambasted and T-Roy sounds as though he needs help crawling from a basement where demise awaits (Fluxx... could have played at the end of The Blair Witch Project, if you ask me). The howl balances the groove, and the claw hammer to the back of the head should have been expected by this point.

And who says sludge bands can't lighten up once in a while? Gasp and Nomadic pick up the tempo and smash mailboxes with enough angst to actually justify it if they get caught. These tracks have a sort-of "escape" feel to them, though you'll quickly realize it's nothing more than terror running toward you a little faster. After all, both tracks do seem to end with you being carried into a peat bog against your will.

The band's ingenuity and instrument-command are evident on Bleeding Charm. Guitars fuzz, drums slap, and the vocals hang outside your apartment window. The sounds blend perfectly to form a pipeline to Nocturnal/Negative Phaze, which carries an axe on its shoulder as it angrily stomps through your campsite. Don't worry, this warbling, grinding, staggering figure is simply looking to climb into a hollow tree just in time to hibernate through winter. The eerie finish blends every element the band bleeds, resulting in a guitar-hover denouement fitting of Dario Argento's Giallo.

You're not getting any history or band bio here; we already covered that. What you ARE getting is thick, wet, despondent gloom delivered by seasoned sludge agents. These guys know what they're doing, and eight years between albums is no reason to ignore Black Fangs. It might make you feel better to withdraw and come back after you've studied Sourvein's index. That's okay. Just keep in mind it's still being written, and these imperial bastards don't show any signs of hitting the brakes.



Website | Facebook | Myspace | Last.fm

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Album Review: City of Ships - "Minor World"

The principle I carry when determining whether or not a band qualifies as "heavy" is a pretty simple one; somehow, make me FEEL what I'm hearing. Anyone can learn a few chords and spit 80's rock, anyone can buy a "how-to" video on just about anything to do with getting your band heard. You don't have to be proficient musicians, necessarily. You don't have to hit "puree" on the distortion. You don't even need to be that loud. Just believe that what you're creating will slug someone in the gut, one way or another.

City of Ships strikes the heavy on too many levels to enumerate. This is a smart band, this is a heavy band, and this is a beautiful band. The fuzz on this record exceeds the minimum standard, while expanding components move far-beyond expectations. Good thing, too; if I'd abandoned this record too soon, I'd have missed out on ten spacey slices of hazy insomnia. On Minor World, this trio manages to deliver an effort of staggering thickness, congenial sadness, and wandering cosmic acceptance.

The guitars here will fool you. Clotilde begins with a gentle Silent Lucidity lilt, but thickness follows close. There's enough dirty mist to effectively balance the clean musicianship. Dryer lint knocks at the door through the song's first half before busting through with floating, spritzing, warbling gamma rays. Slowly, the track steps away and fades out of range.

Subrosa fully establishes the album's lingering sadness, paired with jagged guitars, furry hooks, and yelps that neither take over nor drown in the marriage of prog guitar and solid bass-bounce. Tantric Engineer is hazy complacency, though Rob Motes's jackhammer drums steal the show without apology. The guitars may sound like Incubus, if Incubus weren't pretty and self-absorbed. Andrew Jernigan's bass contains a doomy drop before the song hightails it to space.

City of Ships excel when they pull back. Darkness at Noon is the album's standout. Sad, pensive, and incredibly haunting, this is a song you'll play on your way to a November funeral. Elements blend, lift, drop, and eventually stagger drunk. The sounds are coddled just long enough to relax the listener before letting him go. Where Deftones never quite relent, City of Ships knows just where to keep things at a low hum. Oh, and speaking of Hum, I can only imagine Matt Talbot is somewhere leading a classroom where this album is the curriculum's cornerstone.

Eric Jernigan's crippling howl is the bridge between the creator and the listener. You'll feel what he's feeling, canvassed by intertwining instruments that never stumble over one another (evidenced on Low Countries). The vocals layer themselves, minimizing the isolation the lyrics are delivering. Celestial Navigation is punky, emotional tickling until rhythms shift and an alien delivers your crunchy takeout. Eric's guitars are sharp as cliff rocks, but his voice cuts deeper than obsidian.

Easy Way/Hard Way showcases a sludge grind on bass, while the band's expansive vocabulary is buried in beautiful lyrics like "Why is it that the addicts are the only ones who got it figured out?" Chainman is heavy and can't seem to decide if it wants to embrace the listener or turn and walk away. The bass keeps slummin' while the guitar is climbing peaks. Again, this band knows how to contrast elements and still keep things steady.

The album ends as it began, with Low Lives bringing hope's bare minimum before quickly pulling back and leaving your hand empty. The clickety-clack drums, moon-trip guitars, and distant screeches break into sludge thumps and fadeout fuzz before everything reaches an abrupt conclusion.

City of Ships will leave you with countless questions. You're gonna fall asleep thinking about this sound and about this band. The real kicker, though, is the uncertainty of whether or not they'll ever love you as much as you love them. This album is evanescent. You'll think this is a two-way street, you'll buzz from the stomach-pit butterflies, and then you'll have the rug pulled out from under you. But, of course... you'll go back for more.

Stream the entire album's brilliance here.



Band Site | Facebook | Myspace | Last.fm

Friday, July 29, 2011

New Band To Burn One To (Evening Buzz): Damned Holy Rollers

The Evening Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Damned Holy Rollers.



Bio:

From the Nexus of the universe they hail. Through the Wastelands they traveled. The Great Wind brought them and the Great Wind will take them away. They have broke the Beams and chased the Giants. They are not human but are Gods own prototypes. Too weird to live, and too rare to die. They bring screaming fire from their mouths, and electric sex from their fingertips. All that stand in their way are consumed and forgotten. Many have come before and after, but none can hold a candle to their awesome power. They live to Rock, and Rock to live. Their tales are legends and their legend will shatter the world.




"Furious, powerful riff rock is what Damned Holy Rollers from St. Louis lay down. Heartfelt vocals, bone-rattlin' grooves, and straight to the soul rock and roll will leave you shakin' in your shoes and wanting more. Have a listen now!"

Facebook

New Band To Burn One To (Morning Buzz): Widows

The Morning Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Widows.


Bio:

Formed in 2008, Widows came together from the ashes of various bands around the Nottingham heavy music scene. Initially formed by James Kidd and Adam Jolliffe in an attempt to move on from playing metal and get back to their classic/stoner rock roots, they demoed the band’s 1st EP in its entirety on a home recording set up before even getting into a rehearsal studio. Picking up drummer Steve Mellor and bassist Evan Christodoulou across the next few months, Widows evolved into a serious undertaking and began gigging in 2009. The debut EP ‘Raise the Monolith’ was recorded in August 2009 and self released later that year before being picked up by Bad News Records and released with worldwide distribution in July 2010.

Taken under the wing of Desert Scene.co.uk promoters, Widows have played with a number of great bands on the stoner scene like Atomic Bitchwax, Nebula, and Truckfighters and are currently organising tours in the UK and Europe to promote themselves further n raise their profile.

Due to work and family commitments, Evan had to depart the fold in Feb 2011 but has promptly been replaced by Ste Birch (formerly of Millicent Grove) who joined up just in time for the new album.
Widows are currently in the studio recording their debut full length CD ‘Death Valley Duchess’, slated for release in early October, look out for updates on their web pages including the album recording blog on their MySpace page.




"Here is your Friday morning wake-up call people! Widows is a Stoner/Sludge band from Nottingham, UK. These dudes smack you upside the head with a pissed off attitude and a southern swagger. Kick-ass riffs, steamroller grooves, grimey vocals, and unpredictability in an otherwise cliched genre make Widows a band to definitely keep an ear out for. Give me more!"

MySpace|Facebook

Thursday, July 28, 2011

New Band To Burn One To (Evening Buzz): Jerusalem

The Evening Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Jerusalem.



Bio:

Jerusalem were born in summer 2005 aftere a long sweaty series of jam sessions in a lightless poor room ( then the light was restored and the room turned back to its ancient splendors). We decided to be the clones of something just because we were lazy... in a couple of weeks we decided that that game was boring and we started working on a three piece suite 30 minutes long, just to do something interesting for us. After a year playing that suite and working on it, we started live activities, being opening acts of some important names of the scene. Because of jobs and stuff of real world we had to relent our live activities, since last year, when, after a direct change of style we started back live performances as an all-destroying-fast-psych-band, and now we are in studio for a real release of a couple of tracks on heavy heavy vinyl. Previous demos are still flying somewere in the blogspots, but, sincerely I don't remember them links.....






"Jerusalem is an all-instrumental band from Italy. The band plays soft mezmerising music to chill-out to. Soft jazz-like passages wrap around a repetitive steady groove. By using various sound effects and a mellow bass line the band eventually blasts into a bone chilling wall of reverberation. Although the band's songs on MySpace are a bit dated, the band currently has a few newer demo tracks available on their Reverb Nation page. Jerusalem continues to play gigs around the local scene. Take a listen."

Web|Facebook|MySpace

New Band To Burn One To (Morning Buzz): Twin Cobra

The Morning Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Twin Cobra.


Bio:

Twin Cobra are a 4-piece Stoner/Doom band from Budapest, Hungary.

When I get submissions from bands, I really never know what I am going to get. I have rules up on the blog for submitting your band but the language barrier sometimes is an exception to the rule. One band that I recently had submitted to me was a band called Twin Cobra. The band barely has an online presence, but here at Heavy Planet we are out to change that.

Twin Cobra fill the air with a thick swirl of fuzzed out stoner doom riffs. Heavily influenced by bands such as Kyuss, Fu Manchu and to some extent C.O.C, the band has a very raw and unpretentious sound. The songs available on their MySpace page show the band's penchant for writing catchy and memorable hooks while being heavy as shit. I kept hitting repeat on tracks "The Proposal" and "No Deal, Part II". Give them a listen.

MySpace|Facebook

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

New Band To Burn One To (Evening Buzz): Bonejackal

The Evening Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Bonejackal.



Bio:

Born in the year 2009 Bonejackal bashes out instrumental psychedelic flavored jams reminiscent of Black Sabbath, Captain Beyond, and early Pink Floyd. At fifty years old guitarist Jamie Hamilton brings a wealth of classic influences to the group, as well as being the father of the group’s drummer Kyle Hamilton. In its two years Bonejackal has performed with Royal Thunder, Daikaiju, Stone Rider, Last Transgression, No, and more!





Heavily influenced by 70's classic heavy rock, Alabama's new instrumental sensations Bonejackal throw a pretty mean punch. While combining punk, psychedelic, and a steady driving beat, this power trio plays their music one way: loud and proud. Check'em out!"

Facebook|MySpace|CDBaby

New Band To Burn One To (Morning Buzz): Eleven Sun

The Morning Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Eleven Sun.


Bio:

ELEVEN SUN YESTERDAY

Hello! Eleven Sun is a band founded in Finland 2008. We´ll do our psychedelic rock sound somewhere around stoner/doom/heavy/progressive genre. Remaining original members of the Eleven Sun, are the founding members Tomi (vocals, percussion, fx), And the bass player Markus, known from playing guitar at band called Re-armed. Also Santtu, the drummer of Frogskin, joined our band at end of the year 2008. After a few colourful incidents we replaced our guitarist to Juha, known from Nocturnal winds, just six days before the gig. After the amazing gig we had, there was no doubt… We’ve found the missing piece. Before the self-published Absinthe sky cd-ep we made a demo that's been available only on myspace.

ELEVEN SUN TODAY

Eleven Sun (average age 30 yrs.) has a high work morale; we practise conscientiously and are always ready to play live. Band members have about 200 live gigs all together. We have around twenty of our own songs ready. On January 2011 we went to the studio and got four songs recorded. We reserved the lock-out for three days, and recorded all the instruments there. Missing vocals and synthetisizers we recorded in our rehearsal studio. For the mixer we found ex-employee of Markus, Jarno Hänninen of D-studio. He understood immediately how original and twisted our sounds are, and what they need to get the right atmosphere which our band wants them to be. Two and a half days of mixing and a couple of sleepless night with album covers, Eleven Sun got their first promo done on schedule: Absinthe sky, which by its length (27,34), despite having only four songs, is nearby a full album.

ELEVEN SUN TOMORROW

We aim high at Eleven sun for our future gigs and music. We are seriously looking for a record company, booking agent, marketing professional and anyone who is interested in or capable of helping us to create long and interesting career of well played and created music in this reality-TV blurred world, irrational and redefining society. We are keen to hear all kinds of feedbacks, pros and cons.




"Out of control heavy rock of seismic proportions from Finland, Eleven Sun use outer space sound effects, crunchy guitars, off-beat rhythms, and balls-to-the-wall vocals to make one hell of a scorching hot EP. Give them a listen! "

Facebook|MySpace|Reverb Nation

Monday, July 25, 2011

New Band To Burn One To (Evening Buzz): Weeping Ulcer

The Evening Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Weeping Ulcer.



Bio:

Ian Flockhart - Guitars, vocals
Marcel Golstein - Bass, vocals
Graeme V. Flynn - Drums, vocals

Weeping Ulcer are a sludge/doom/experimental metal band from Dublin, Ireland. They have been writing and rehearsing original material since the trio formed in June 2010. Inspired by all that's wrong in the world and a keen sense of ethereal exploration, they blend a multitude of musical influences into their own particular brand of down-tuned, sludgy filth. They recorded their 3 track Demo, "Dwelling in Filth" during January of 2011 in Loop Studios. It was produced by Gareth Desmond & Weeping Ulcer. An EP is currently being written, for release later this year.




"From the sustained feedback of the first note, Weeping Ulcer immediately gets under your skin. Polluted, maggot-infested doom riffs overcome by a sludgy stench eat their way into your brain. Howling at you through the uprising flames, Weeping Ulcer are raw, slow and brutally grim."
Facebook

New Band To Burn One To (Morning Buzz): Wizards of Firetop Mountain

The Morning Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Wizards of Firetop Mountain.



Bio:

With floods of fire raging from the rocky peaks, five wizards descended their sanctuary arriving many centuries later at the Foothills of the ancient Gaelic stronghold Dubh Linn to unleash a furious wrath of Wizardry and Riffs upon the scorched- sunken soil.

Featuring current members of Mongolia (Sleep/Sabbath instrumental worship) deNovissimis (Sludge Violence) and Realistic Train (Stoner Rock), we're quickly making a name for ourselves in this emerald isle as the best party around!!

We've recently recorded two songs as part of an online demo and will be returning to the studio at the end of the summer to record our E.P.




Wizards of Firetop Mountain are a killer new band from Dublin, Ireland. Classic 70's influenced rock runs through thier veins via fellow countrymen Thin Lizzy. Along with a touch of psychedelia, the band's music is energetic, catchy and just plain kick-ass. What more could you want from a rock band? Check them out now!

SoundCloud/Tumblr/Facebook/MySpace

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Sunday Sludge: Dopefight - Buds

Don't let the album's cover fool you; these UK stoners love their kush. "But Seth, this isn't Stoner Sunday, this is Sunday Sludge!" I know, I know... hear me out. Dopefight's Buds has enough stickiness to fool you into thinking this is lazy, wake-and-bake, middle-finger metal. But the muddy tar in these thirteen tracks qualifies this album as an aggressive, confident shot in the arm to a genre often dismissed and misunderstood. Dopefight may not bring the masses to understand why we love our smeared, down-tempo detours of all that is heavy, but they'll lend plenty of chutzpah to our principle that sludge has its place.

You won't immediately recognize how Buds sounds; you'll be too busy feeling it. From Babygoatsick's hammer-toe riffs and Hale's crunchy bass, you'll understand why Dopefight didn't see the need to complicate things with too many words. When the music speaks this well on its own, vocals can quickly become superfluous. Dopefight know just where to start and just where to end.

Owen Fareye Karti spends much of Leviathan's Burp molesting frets and changing tempos. The assault is peppered with brief pause, though bouncy stomp is quickly ushered out by a return of repetitive and inexorable grime. It's hard to imagine Nob. Nod. Noi. coming from anywhere other than the bayou (this swamp lick is delicious), with comparisons to Bongzilla being certain. Don't let that take away from what Dopefight's doing, though. The balance the band strikes between aggression and passive-aggression is rare, as they exercise restraint just as often as they flatten your cavities.

Loose, low bass introduces the backyard fistfight of Slug 'n' Mop, the album's sludgiest track that reminded me of junior high bullies smacking me with my own knuckles as they laughed and taunted "stop hittin' yerself!" Los Mano Del Daemons is slow enough to finish a race just behind Weedeater, with guitar fuzz hanging like wet ivy. A gee-tar mosquito buzzes around your face in the thick morning sun as bass licks your heels. You don't know if you wanna forge ahead or turn back, but it doesn't matter. Whatever you THOUGHT this song would sound like quickly gets swallowed by Owen's vocals and tempo shifts.

A boggy groove is apparent on Specimen, at times sounding like a late-night hitchhike to the liquor store with some dudes you don't really know. Jock Witch is the album's hillbilly moonshine peddler, opening on a damn-near Speak & Spell thumbing and rolling into hard-packing, Alabama Thunderpussy drums and garden-tool guitars. Bogtrotter is as fitting a title as you'll find here. Karti's fretwork is again highlighted, though Ant Cole's drums are absolutely eccentric. This song pokes you in the chest until you actually believe you didn't need lunch money in the first place. (see also: Brighton Town is a Fuckin' Whore. It's quick, and it cuts straight through bone).

It's always important for an album to end strong, otherwise the entire experience can go sour. Pistophelees snags you by the collar and shakes you awake with a crusty, locust-hum guitar. A slow plod ensues, however, hovering just above sea-level with a watchful guitar and a voice that attacks from behind. AmpNonceFuck could be Black Label Society in a rhythm-section love fest. The riff is southern (South England, sure), the drums slap foul mouths, and the track owes a (slight) debt to Orange Goblin.

Finally, the album's hidden track is its most surprising. This primal, delicate jam finds a gorgeous balance between organs and drums. The guitar is patient and pensive, sounding like it was recorded on a day when Dopefight smoked either too much or too little. The clank of a tambourine evokes memories of Stealers Wheel's Stuck in the Middle With You. As this blissfully endless track falls into a Jameson jig, an Englishman interrupts with "Uppers, downers, purple hearts, hash, shit, heavy shit, dust, chasing the dragon, monkey on your back, ferret down your trousers..."

Honestly, this trio can't be too stoned. They've demonstrated enough ardor to their sound that nothing's getting in the way. This gem moves from sludge to stoner to doom to hillrod, and it's evident Dopefight know exactly what they're doing. Aggressive, hard, and constantly adjusting, this is what many bands try (and fail) to achieve. Dopefight have engineered a mountain-tumble you're happy to jump into. Shifting tempos, diminishing influences, persistent heaviness... what more could you want on a clammy Sunday morning. Maybe just some Panama Red, huh?

Facebook | Myspace | Website | last.fm

Friday, July 22, 2011

New Band To Burn One To (Evening Buzz): Eastern Crank

The Evening Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" features Eastern Crank.



Bio:

Eastern Crank is a band based out of the seedy suburbs of New Jersey that seek their own musical and spiritual philosophy since 2010. The band have recently recorded their first self-released EP titled " Songs From The Suburban Archives". Band member & producer B.Elmer took care of mixing, mastering and additional noising of the album! It represents a certain turning point in the constant quest of finding and stepping into new territories, both musically and mentally. It represents a certain state of mind with the mixture of heavy coloured sound, ambiental trance Rock, alternative and psychedelic elements.




"Marching to a myriad of hard driving melodic rhythms and tribalistic beats, New Jersey's Eastern Crank is an all-instrumental force to be reckoned with. Easy going mid-tempo grooves, fuzzed out tones and mind-expanding trippiness will thrust you into cosmic dimensions. Check out the tunes on Reverb Nation."

MySpace

New Band To Burn One To (Morning Buzz): Seditius

The Morning Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Seditius.



Bio:

Stoner/Hardcore band from Brianza, Italy. Has shared the stage with D.O.A, Uk Subs, Torche, Antillectual, Impact, Skruingers, Cripple Bastards, Hormonauts, Bible of the Devil, Antares, Long Dong Silver and many more.




Intense, punk infused rock from Italy. Seditius tear it up by combining elements of stoner, hardcore, and metal for a ferocious and energetic sound. With sing-a-long choruses in abundance, scream your head off vocals, and chord progressions more reminescent of punk, Seditius can lay down a pretty mean riff when needed. The band as of July 20th has made their latest CD available for free download at the link below.

DOWNLOAD ‘CARNE DA MACELLO’ FOR FREE!

Web|Facebook

Thursday, July 21, 2011

New Band To Burn One To (Evening Buzz): Monolithian

The Evening Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Monolithian.


Bio:

We are Monolithian, a stoner/doom metal two piece on bass and drums. We are from Cornwall and we formed late 2010, we have been gigging alot on the south of England, and have plans to go up north in the winter. The band is just me and my partner, jamming the music we love. We have a very heavy satanic theme that runs through our music and we have as much black metal influence as doom and consider our sound, the sound you would get if Mayhem covered Electric Wizard.

MONOLITHIAN e.p by monolithian


Monolithian consisting of Simon on bass/vocals and Shannon on drums will deconstruct your skull with their epic mind-numbing blackened doom metal madness. Evil lurks through the smoke-filled haze as fuzzed out bass riffs swirl against a steady sinister groove. Menacing guttural vocals add to the pandemonium. Check out their cover of Bongzilla's 666 lbs. Very cool!

Facebook|Buy

New Band To Burn One To (Morning Buzz): The Matador

The Morning Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features The Matador.




Bio:

The Matador are a 5 piece progressive post-metal outfit from South East Queensland, Australia. They cast themselves apart from the mainstream of Australian heavy music by creating a sound that ranges from down-tempo, complex ambient arrangements to epic, driving walls of earth-crushingly slabs of sludge. With influences ranging from Cult Of Luna, Isis, Thrice and Deftones to Radiohead, Interpol an...d The National, The Matador have consciously avoided the cliché of breakdowns, blast beats and death growls that currently saturate the heavy music scene. The debut EP 'Descent Into The Maelstrom' was released worldwide on April 21, and with this release and plans to tour Australia to promote it, The Matador are aiming to bring something fresh and exciting to the heavy music scene in 2011.




As a thick wave of sound crashes your eardrums, Aussie 5-piece The Matador push the limitations of post-metal into different directions. Doomsday soundscapes paralleled with ambient beauty, sonically challenging experimental melodies, chaotic harmonies and gradual progressions will appease your appetite for unforgiving epic heaviness. Word is these guys rule live. Check them out at the links below.

Facebook|Reverb Nation|SignMeTo Roadrunner Records|iTunes|Big Cartel

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Album Review: Wizard Smoke - The Speed of Smoke

Two months ago, Heavy Planet provided an introduction to Wizard Smoke, featuring the space-doomers as the day’s “New Band To Burn One To.” Their latest release, The Speed of Smoke, so fully encapsulates what Heavy Planet is all about that we’ve decided to spend just a bit more time with this dense, intergalactic, spooky, and incredibly heavy gem from one of Atlanta’s most promising acts.

From beginning to end, The Speed of Smoke oozes otherworldly psychedelia, doom/stoner grooves, and prog-rock leanings. The album is bookended by Dead Wood, a utility shed wall of doom, and Witches Brew, a fuzzy stick in the eye that whispers in both ears before collapsing your lungs with falling boulders. What lies between the two is what leaves the listener rewinding cassettes and gently dropping back the phonograph needle (yes, the album’s available in both wax and vinyl formats).

Buzzsaw guitar and wood-splitting drums are evident from the onset of Dead Wood, a tense and looming trip to a twisted-neck haze. From growls to country echoes, the vocals are too strong to let themselves be buried in the boil. Butcher then soars, falls, and settles into a stutter-step stomp, inducing involuntary nods and foot-taps. James Halcrow confidently swallows the mic and washes it down with jagged rock, while guitars move in every direction.

A low buzz bridges into Weakling, a bass-laden bounce that cooks down to a full-band assault. What steals the song’s thunder, though, is the confident use of a vocoder that’ll make you jealous of anyone who sported sideburns through the 1970’s. Halcrow’s space-robot gives way to his pissed-off lothario as he screams disparaging remarks too colorful for this review.

Bayou guitar-picking introduces Growing as keyboards hover and fade. The guitars here layer themselves, one by one, until bass enters and fills a low-tempo hike. The vocals are disgruntled and demented, the track ascends through darkness, and guitar work remains the highlight. Growing kinda feels like losing a long battle, though Wizard Smoke ultimately rise and earn the last laugh.

Prog-heavy Panama II trudges through an ominous chorus with bass and drums clicking just beyond space-cavern strings. The song dissects itself and you’ll enjoy a spiritual hum before returning to what sounds a bit like Link’s adventures through The Legend of Zelda.


Apprehension bubbles just before Witches Brew melts through riffs, jams, and a closing that most bands are too exhausted to actually pull off. This is one of the better albums you’ll hear this year. The track placement is perfect, the sounds are jaw-dropping, and the heavy is incessant. Put The Speed of Smoke on your “must-hear” list of 2011 and sit back as you’re guided through a black cosmos.



Tuesday, July 19, 2011

New Band To Burn One To (Evening Buzz): Van Cleef

The Evening Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Van Cleef.



Bio:

Sex, science and exorcism.

VAN CLEEF are writing the soundtrack to their own race with the devil - blending dirty widescreen blues with psychedelic space rock.

Southern-fried.
Feedback basted.
A tad chewy.

Formed in 2008.

Played a shitload of gigs local and interstate with plenty more to come.

Touring Europe in 2012.

5 track demo 'Lynching Hymns' released in 08

7 track E.P 'Intergalactic Porn Swamp' in 09 (sold out)

Released their debut full length album 'WHERE THE RIVER MEETS THE ROCK' in December 2010.

Music Video - DALEK GULCH launched onlineMay 20 2011.



Van Cleef is
Mike Gordon - vocs/keys
Christian Thompson- guitar
Adam Lloyd - bass
Jonah Rudd - drums




As I listened to Aussie band Van Cleef, I couldn't help but notice a bit of eighties influence spattered amongst their spaghetti western tinged space-rock. Bands such as The Pixies and Talking Heads come to mind. Let the steady driving beat, crazed lyrics and utter weirdness guide you towards the sun. Check out their sultry cover of John Stewart's classic "Gold".

MySpace|ReverbNation|Twitter

New Band To Burn One To (Morning Buzz): Wreck and Reference

The Morning Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Wreck and Reference.



Bio:

Wreck and Reference is three years and is not the becoming of dreams. The angst of early malignant bodies, growing from dissatisfaction of the glossy and apparent, brings down a heavy and sullen blow. An obstacle presents itself true and wide, a collar of lace and aged, yellowing trimmings of a forgotten bride surround the neck.

The biggest craters are existential: an organism’s lack of free will, ...alienation, and fated death. Wreck and Reference is mimicry of those undesirables and more which can only be drowned along with the conscious self. As Gottlob Frege’s 1892 exposition Über Sinn und Bedeutung, translated as On Sense and Reference, was the foundation of predicate logic, Wreck and Reference is the foundation of man, purified and alone, pitted against collusion of the modern washing away in metallic paints. At the intersection of determinism and the booze soaked wasteland of California, a sole fire consumes the air that the organism breathes.

The end, to which Wreck and Reference burrows in a relentless fashion, is replicative but irrational like the wolf in the throne room. Each jump falls short and when the body rises back to its feet the chasm widens. The dissolution of atoms and their retreat into the universe lay ominous and prostrate on top of a chest where they stifle breath.





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Calling themselves "electrodoom", California's Wreck and Reference use electronic synthesizers and various samples to bludgeon the listener's aural cavity. Despite the lack of guitars/bass the band orchestrates a surprisingly pleasant lo-fi adaption of drone/doom. This cacophony of sounds may be offputting to some because of the non-traditional concept, but the band melds bleakness and despair with tortured vocals and a very raw production to sound very familiar.  Give their latest "Black Cassette" a listen, then buy it!

Monday, July 18, 2011

New Band To Burn One To (Evening Buzz): Vulture

The Evening Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Vulture.



Bio:

Formed in 2007, a vocalist change in 2009 and continued focus on heaviness and groove, Vulture’s thick murky sound has evolved into what they refer to as “Steel City Sludge”. Vulture is currently writing the full length follow up to their 2008 self-titled EP. Recording their first with their new singer will commence late summer. You can get a taste of what’s to come with the exclusive track “Prick of Misery” taken from the forthcoming compilation “Iron Atrocity Vol. 1” on Innervenus.

Justin Bach: bass
Justin Erb: vocals
Gene Fikhman: guitar
Kelly Gabany: drums
Garrett Twardesky: guitar






Angry fists of heavy, aggressive sludge punch you in the face as each riff intensifies amidst a slow churning groove. Gorging themselves with an abundance of doom riffs, Pittsburgh's Vulture will rattle your bones, steal your soul and hopefully inspire more bands from the "Burgh to join the doom metal allegiance. Doom on Vulture, Doom on!

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New Band To Burn One To (Morning Buzz): Sistered

The Morning Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Sistered.



Bio:

Sistered is a COSMIC DEATH PUNK band shredding triumphant epics from
the bowels of the rust belt with a diverse cohesion as ambitious as
early-era heavy metal, but with all the grit and realism of the 90's
hardcore & grunge movements that smashed 80's heavy metal into
irrelevance. A DIY, blue collar work ethic burns at the core of
everything they do. Sistered is self-produced, self-made and talkin
shit from outer space.

Jesse Meredith (vox/gtr), John Dzziuban (gtr/vox), Cary Belback (bass)
and Josh Egan (drums) came together in a tempest of near-death
experiences, institutionalization, religious crises and otherwise
positive childhood affairs to craft the soundtrack to these dystopian
times. They awoke from the chemical haze, looked in the mirror and
proclaimed into the ether "Sistered must be." And so, it is...



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Being from the band's hometown of Pittsburgh, my outlook of the band may seem a little biased. I think that Sistered may be one of the best things to come from the 'Burgh since the Primanti Bros. famous sandwich. Sistered developed their sound around 90's post grunge and layered it with slabs of progressive doom rock ala Kylesa, Mastodon, etc. added some insane dual riffing, yelling vocals and tons off killer melody to make one damn incredible sound. Check out Sistered now. You won't regret it.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Sunday Sludge - Rwake




I've been told the R in Rwake goes unpronounced, making it the only silent thing about this band. These (mostly) bearded trailer-pArkansas shit-slingers have been leaving audiences with stains in their pants for nearly fifteen years, blending slow grooves and deathbed vocals to create a sludgecore sound that remains unparalleled. Their new album is scheduled for a September release, so some Sunday Sludge tutelage seems like the perfect companion to your busted air conditioner and bitchin' Camaro.

Since 1996, Rwake have proven themselves to be unapologetic, unflinching, and completely indifferent to where their contemporaries have drifted. They manage to keep alive dirty southern sludge traditions while also throwing in fresh, unfamiliar blackness to an already obsidian genre. They'll speed it up, they'll let their hostility get the better of them, and they'll spare no impurity in making sure you understand this is a metal band of the highest caliber. They'll stretch into doom, they'll trip into psychedelia, they'll even flirt with black metal vocals. But at day's end, you've got mud on your boots and you're happy to feel this ugly.

This is a band that's paid their dues. Both Xenoglossalgia: The Last Stage of Awareness and Absence Due to Projection were released by the band themselves, while extensive, exhausting stage gigs have enlightened audiences as they warmed up the likes of Weedeater, Mastodon, and Alabama Thunderpussy. Lineup changes have also demonstrated Rwake's dedication to the cause, never missing a beat in finding sufficient (often incredible) upgrades to departed members. Kiffin's axe wielding, replacing that of Chuck Schaaf, has retained the appropriation of the spectrum, highlighted on tracks like Forge and Imbedded, both found on If You Walk Before You Crawl, You Crawl Before You Die, the band's introduction to Kiffin.

The albums have progressively gotten more focused and more appropriately hostile, harnessing battling yelps and fuzzy crescendos before diving from a cliff and crashing into rocks. What's consistent, from Hell Is a Door to The Sun to Voices of Omens, is the noisy, undercooked thwarting of incredible down-tempo southern hammers. Rwake strike a balance of snarls and howls between CT and B, a dynamic unique to the hillbilly stomp of low, dirty groove underneath blistered riffage. This is as honest as the "The Natural State" is gonna get, folks.

No article's gonna give this band a rightful decree. I can listen to these songs and know Rwake is incredible, but these words fall flatter than Selma Blair. No contemporary band pulls off a successful marriage of extending the genre and chewing on tradition quite like Rwake. I didn't think I could hold on to any mettle while covered in another man's bawdry, but I suppose Rwake proved me wrong. And I suppose I'm also covered in a woman's bawdry. I can't wait for this new album's release. Look for Rest on September 27th.









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Saturday, July 16, 2011

CD Review: Gentleman's Pistols - At Her Majesty's Pleasure

Gentleman's Pistols - At Her Majesty's Pleasure

by Zac Boda



Who else truly enjoyed the classic rock revival we experienced a few weeks ago here at Heavy Planet with Rival Son's Pressure & Time? I couldn't believe how refreshing it was to hear modernized classic rock that was not bastardized. Well, as much as I enjoyed Pressure & Time, it is only right for me to stumble onto At Her Majesty's Pleasure by the Gentleman's Pistols. As good as Pressure & Time is, At Her Majesty's Pleasure is better (my personal opinion of course).

Gentleman's Pistols, from Leeds, UK seep classic british rock. Honestly, I wouldn't even need to tell you where GP are from. The slick guitar licks (think Thin Lizzy), built off the great rhythm and harmony (Deep Purple, Free), and catchy lyrics, it is easy to see where Gentleman's Pistols come from. Even the album artwork brings Her Majesty's Country to mind. I really get a, "Queen, Night at the Opera" feel. Shall we sit back and enjoy our British cronies good charm over a bitter ale (or Young's Double Chocolate Stout for me)?

"Midnight Crawler" one of the many exceptional tracks begins with a beefy bass-line. Shaping the tune from here is the addition of a stable drum beat and twin guitars nailing the squeal. Midnight Crawler is very repetitive but never leaves the listener yawning. The groove of the rhythm, that excellent squeal, and the clash of the cymbals keep the heads bobbing until about 2:20 into the track. Here we find an extraordinary solo, really transitioning the jam only to be lead back to that enduring groove that carried us in.

"Into The Haze" plainly states it all in the title. With lyrics like "Into a haze" and "up in a puff of smoke", all the listeners at Heavy Planet know what they are in for on this track. Again, a fantastic transition occurs around the mid-point of the song. This beautifully plucked melody sharply turns into and thrashing jam. Winning.

"I Wouldn't Let You" very well be my favorite track. With around a three minute run time, I'm a little surprised at myself. I personally love falling head first into any bands longer tunes. It's just something about the lead guitars lick, it's intoxicating. I can't say more. Go listen to this song, and please come back and tell me I'm not crazy.

GP's grand finale is the heroic "Lethal Woman". Again, you will find the catchy licks building off of the strong rhythms foundation. The lyrics are angry and demanding to be liberated. The cohesion between the chorus, verse, solo, and monumental outro is phenomenal. The outro becomes this glorious swing between the guitar solo, snare blasts, and unanticipated addition of strings. GP could not have selected a better song to end, "At Her Majesty's Pleasure".

The entire album is a grand slam. Some of my other favorites are Comfortably Crazy, Your Majesty (remember Metallica Garage Inc, the bay thrashers could easily have covered this song on that album), The Ravisher, and Feed Me To The Lions. Oh why bother, they are all excellent rocking grooves and we should be raising a pint to these Englishmen.

Magnificent 9 out of 10.

James Atkinson - Lead Vocals, Guitar
Douglas McLaughlan - Bass, Vocals
Bill Steer - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Stuart Dobbins - Drums, Percussion

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Friday, July 15, 2011

New Band To Burn One To (Evening Buzz): Radio Garage

The Evening Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Radio Garage.



Bio:

Radio Garage was formed from previous experiencies on punk and hardcore bands, looking for a more broad rock sound, combining all the music and influences involved from its members, after one EP and some songs on compilations, the band suffered some lineup changes wich resulted in a more hardened sound wich can be heard on its sophomore release RADIO GARAGE (2010), 9 tracks full of hard rock, punk, metal and some stoner and death influences, meanwhile they are composing the next record the band plays on every hole they receive them.

Radio Garage is Kaminoisee on guitar and vocals, Fernando on bass, Oscar on drums and Ricardo on guitar and vocals.



Combining hard driving rythyms, great hooks and a punk attitude, Peruvian band Radio Garage prove that rock and roll truly is the universal language. The band tears it up with scorching dual guitar solos and gritty vocals sung in Spanish (I believe). Give them a listen. You can download their album for free on their Bandcamp site or at the link below.

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New Band To Burn One To (Morning Buzz): Witch Mountain

The Morning Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Witch Mountain.



Bio:

It’s been ten long years since the original NW Doom band WITCH MOUNTAIN unleashed its debut LP …Come The Mountain on an unsuspecting world. Born too soon AND too late, the band enjoyed worldwide praise and shared the stage with countless luminaries between 1997 and 2003. In fact, contemporary metal legends YOB and Agalloch got their starts opening for Witch Mountain! Then came a period of hibernation, child rearing, divorces, and DOOM.

Now the Mountain is brimming with volcanic activity, ready to unleash its sophomore effort SOUTH OF SALEM, produced by none other than Billy “Engine-ear” Anderson (Mr. Bungle, Melvins, High on Fire, Neurosis, etc etc). SOS collects all the best material composed by Witch Mountain from 2002-2009, improved vastly by the inclusion of vocalist Uta Plotkin. The world first heard Uta’s “stoner metal Heart” approach to doom on 2010 track “Veil of the Forgotten,” featured on the Adult Swim compilation METAL SWIM, which firmly re-placed Witch Mountain amongst its peers in Isis, Saviours, Ludicra, Boris, Kylesa, Torche, et al. Recently, the band was profiled on NPR.org, and has been getting rave reviews from a multitude of musical publications.

South of Salem is now available on a special limited edition LP and as a digital bundle with other limited edition merchandise. With artwork by lowbrow, fine artist SKINNER, colors by Marvel Comics’ Jason Lewis, and a redesigned logo by Mark McCormick, the future of Witch Mountain looks as good as it sounds. Stay doomed!




Taking their classic rock influences to another level, Portland doom legends Witch Mountain weave Hendrix-inspired guitar work amongst a slow stoner/doom groove while Uta Plotkin provides goose-pimple inducing vocals a la Ann Wilson(Heart). Witch Mountain are an amazing band that demand your attention. Beautiful and maddening!

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Thursday, July 14, 2011

New Band To Burn One To (Evening Buzz): Kickin' Bear

The Evening Buzz edition of "New Band to Burn One To" today features Kickin' Bear.



Bio:

Kickin’ Bear was formed three years ago in the tiny beach community of Ocean City, New Jersey. The group was founded by members Rob Swift, Chris Ingram, Wayne Gallagher, and Tom Williamson during the dissolution of their Jersey Rock band, After the Universe.

Kickin’ Bear is a roots rock band living and gigging in West Philadelphia. Originally from Southern NJ, its members have been playing music together since childhood, performing in various bands and projects. The Bear combines elements of rock & roll, blues, folk and world sound to achieve a unique musical experience that is classic in appeal yet fresh in content.

The band set out for Philadelphia in the fall of 2009, hoping to bring their music to a wider audience. With new bassist Dan Boardman and violinist Eamonn Connor, they have performed at popular Philadelphia venues such as The Trocadero, World Cafe Live and The Fire. A KB live concert showcases their original music, with a focus on exploratory improvisation. The band dawns an assortment of obscure instruments on stage such as Indian sitar, violin, mandolin, banjo, Fender Rhodes and more.

Kickin’ Bear recently finished recording their debut album, which is available on iTunes, Amazon, and other music outlets. 100% self produced and recorded, the album attempts to recreate the sound of old 70s vinyl by combining traditional recording methods and vintage instruments to produce a unique and retro sound. Looking forward, the band is currently recording their follow up at Range Recording Studio’s in Ardmore Pennsylvania.

Kickin’ Bear is:

Wayne Gallagher: Piano, Vocals
Rob Swift: Lead Guitar, Harmonica, Sitar, Uke, Lead and Backup Vocals
Tom Williamson: Guitar, Mandolin, Lead and Backup Vocals
Chris Ingram: Drums, Percussion, Banjo, Vocals
Dan Boardman: Bass, Vocals
Eamonn Connor: Violin, Cello, Vocals





Psychedelic driven roots rock from Philly, Kickin' Bear gives you a little slice of Americana then slaps you in the face. Scorching lead guitar work and stellar musicianship provide the backbone for this 70's classic rock inspired band. Plain and simple, Kickin' Bear is a great American rock n' roll band!

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New Band To Burn One To (Morning Buzz): Ayahuasca Dark Trip

The Morning Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Ayahuasca Dark Trip.


Bio:

Formed in November 2010, Ayahuasca Dark Trip is a Dutch/Peruvian/Brazilian band conformed by Buddy Van Nieuwenhoven (Bass Guitar - Guitar), Brayan Buckt (Guitar- Effects) and Pedro Ivo Aráujo (Voice - Synth - Organ).

The sound is based in the sacred rituals, with heavy sound , trying to evoke the ayahuasca ceremony experiences.



Multi-continental band Ayahuasca Dark Trip takes you on a heavy bass-driven cosmic journey. Long, trippy, and ritualistic songs will guide you through a mind-altering trance that you will not want to come out of too soon. Prepare to be mystified.

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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Album Review: Lavagoat - Self-titled








If Lavagoat’s self-titled debut album provides any indication of what life is like in Saskatchewan, I wonder why the province doesn’t produce more ominous doom bands capable of inflicting beautifully horrifying tales of isolation and despair. These eight tracks serve as a solid testimonial to taking what’s been given and finding inspiration where sunshine comes at a premium. Consistently bleak, agonizingly proficient, and thoroughly heavy are just three of a myriad of identifiers for this far-North four piece.


Puritan initiates this cleansing of the wicked with heavy feedback and a slow, condemned rumble. Vocals are layered with one gnarring bite hovering just above another, while a fuzz-groove hums steadily until nails hit a chalkboard as it rolls through bouncing dust ball riffs and clanking cymbals.


Throughout the album on tracks like The House and The Witch, Lavagoat avoid being pinned to any distinct sound, using melody and psychedelia as a sporadic companion to the distorted drag of sludge and marching death. Magma reminds the listener of El Paso punkers At the Drive-In, though smoky psychotropic accents do give way to tinny, out-of-control guitar quasars driven by Graham’s blistered drum-thumps.


The vocals shift from cave-dwelling Lemmy to Will Rahmer-toilet gurgle, at times even breaking into comedic crooning and peaceful acceptance. This multi-faceted assault perfectly complements tracks like the progressive Old Man and The Sea, which owes a debt to Mastodon’s time signatures and mystical themes. Rome tries to claw itself from an army of plodding, marching spongers, moving from medieval melancholy to a soaring stoner riff and back into a chanting throng.


The album improves as it plays, with later tracks highlighting exactly what Lavagoat are all about. Interstellar Deserts/Azazoth is a bouncing tandem of fluttering guitar laced with drums that just patiently hang around instead of steal the spotlight. Wispy and spooky, though also welcoming, the track breaks down with pounding drums and buzzsaws, entering a space-warp jam kicking up rooster tails until an oncoming train howls through the song’s end. The instruments seem to be doing exactly what Lavagoat want them to do.


Lavagoat never douse the listener with more than what’s necessary, exercising restraint at pivotal moments and pulling back the terror just before dragging you up a winding cobblestone stairwell. The album hits the widest spectrum of sonic emotions and can be as cathartic as it is exhausting. I've never been to Saskatchewan, and I'm not certain I'll plan on visiting. But Lavagoat manage to keep their fans warm by pulling their hair and holding their feet to a burning pyre.


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CD Review: Nether Regions-Into the Breach

Nether Regions - Into The Breach

by Zac Boda



Dark... Nether Regions "Into The Breach" is a very dark and scary place to be. "Into The Breach" is like the horror movie that was so real it actually scared the living hell out of me (think The Exorcist and Silence of the Lambs not Texas Chain-saw Massacre). The whole essence and aura surrounding this album sends chills down the spine. Heavily influenced by Neurosis, Nether Regions beautiful sound-scapes are twisted by a looming sensation of paranoia and loneliness. For the style of music, "Into The Breach" never becomes tiresome and unexciting. The album intensifies as it progress's from the inception of "Into The Breach / Spanish Werewolves" to the climactic "Alpha / Omega" and apexes with "Outrun The Sun".

As I stated "Into The Breach/Spanish Werewolves" is our opening track. A heavy and pummeling crescendo of crashing cymbals, toms, and snare drums overwhelm the listener. Followed by thick and fuzzy guitar riffs and bass-line, its feels as though a clash has begun with your worst nightmare. I cannot help but notice a tribal drum quality and the Matt Pike-esqe (see High On Fire) vocals. A very strong introduction to Nether Regions, well worth hearing what else they have to offer. Shall we continue...

One of the stand out tracks on ITB is "Pale Faced God". PFG throws a left hook compared to what the previous tracks bestow. The foundation of PGF is a mellow acoustic picking, backed by a jazz-like electric strumming, culminating with the addition of the drums. The ascension plateaus giving the acoustic picking front stage, only to be extinguished by an immense blast. Again you will find the Pike-esqe vocals and lighter moments of picking and drumming really pulling this song together.

"Alpha/Omega" is a must listen on ITB. Keeping a traditional style heavy metal beat and harmony, were could Nether Regions go wrong? The repetitive riffage and onslaught of percussion truly build the adrenaline perfectly. Right up to the big "break-down" (think some serious moshing" at the 3:20 mark). The conclusion brings a spiraling drum roll into an outstanding guitar solo.

"Outrun The Sun" is an ominously warm melody. Like the end of the movies where all seems well, the daylight breaks through, and you have survived... but there is that last moment before the screen cuts to black, and the villain rears it's ugly head, that is "Out Run The Sun". The mix of the static aura waving in the back ground while Kyle Bates and Todd Pidcock weave a soothing trance-like state with their guitars and then Joe Wickstrom's eerie lyrics can be petrifying.

I'm never listening to "Into The Breach" when I'm alone in the dark. Especially after seeing the artwork! What is that? Burning, deteriorating flesh and hair?? Maybe one of the guys from the band can fill us in about the artwork, I'm certainly interested to hear the story behind it. That being said, this album is a success. Nether Regions, without a record label, are using Bandcamp to release their tunes. See the link after the jump. Now get over there and pick your copy up!

I'm feeling a respectable 7 out of 10.

Joe Wickstrom - Bass, Vocals
Kyle Bates - Guitar
Todd Pidcock - Guitar
Ryan Moore - Drums



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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

New Band To Burn One To (Evening Buzz): Facedown

The Evening Buzz edition of "New Band To Burn One To" today features Facedown.



Bio:

An abuse of bourbon somewhere between Down, and Pantera, with heaviness in perspective, like a tar fudge filled doughnut tire."

All set up, and complete at the beginning of 2010, the parisians of FACE DOWN put on a few shows in a rock'n'roll set of mind, before entering the “Sainte Marthe Studio”, giving birth to a powerful, greasy and sweaty 5 title EP baptised "The Runaway", produced and mixed by Guillaume Mauduit (The Arss, Aqme, Comity).

By the end of summer 2010, the band puts their EP to the test, on the occasion of the "Glad Stone Fest" in Paris, where the combo defends their titles with insurance, and come out more determined than ever! FACE DOWN puts up its thrash metal/southern rock influence with neither complex nor concessions, and WILL carry their music to the depths of New Orleans!





As French band Facedown chugs through the 5 songs on their latest EP "The Runaway" the influences are glaringly apparent. The band takes their cue from the southern rock swagger of Black Label Society, the sludgy groove of Down and the aggressive thrash of Pantera. These boys tear it up with grinding teeth, clenched fists and a Jack Daniels-induced ferocity. Check'em out!

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