QUICK HIT: Destroyer of Light - "Chamber of Horrors"

It's early, but a heads up is perfectly warranted for the beautifully rendered, dark and haunting, doomscape album, "Chamber of Horrors", by the Austin, Texas-based doom band Destroyer of Light. The album releases on July 14, so be sure to set a reminder. There is a placeholder song, "Prisoner of Eternity", from the album at bandcamp to give you a taste of what's to come.

The music is eerie yet exhilarating, transporting the listener through a vast kaleidoscope of dark delights, songs of black despair rescued by bright runs of gargantuan riffs, and an overarching battle between gloom and hope.  It's engaging, magnetic, and powerful.

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J. THORN Publishes Video Magazine for Fans of Horror and Heavy Metal

Today, Heavy Planet writer and friend J.Thorn announces the launching of Dark Arts Theater Volume 1, a video magazine dedicated to horror, dark fantasy, heavy metal and hard rock. A veteran of the heavy metal scene and an Amazon Top 100 Most Popular Author in Horror, Thorn brought together the two art forms he has been so passionate about for more than 30 years.

“I’ve been attracted to dark art since I was ten years old,” says Thorn. “Listening to Black Sabbath while reading Stephen King became part of my life as a teenager and something I still do today. Having been in a heavy band and now writing horror novels, I feel like I can present the best of both worlds to people who are as fanatic about this stuff as I am.”

Dark Arts Theater Volume 1 consists of ten 30-40 minute issues. The show is available free of charge on YouTube (video), iTunes (audio) and via a dedicated website at http://darkartstheater.com. Thorn is currently working on Dark Arts Theater Volume 2, due out by the end of 2015. In addition, he will be releasing weekly “Top Three” videos on topics related to heavy metal and horror.

For more information and free access to all of the issues, visit http://darkartstheater.com.

Zac's "Double Dose": Herder / Temple

 

Herder: Horror Vacui 

A soundtrack of horrors with ample listen-ability? That seems like a paradox if I've ever heard one. But really that is the only way to describe what Westereen (Netherlands) based sextet Herder are spewing, and yes this sludge is spewed forth with a passion and intensity so thick that it will coat your ear canals for days. Horror Vacui is the title of Herder's 2012 release and with-holds the very meaning of the music that awaits within. Horror vacui, in relation to art, means a fear of empty space. Guess what the one thing you will find very little of here on Horror Vacui is? Empty space. You won't have a moment of airy clarity here, just incessant murky energy that will leave your mind a bit more claustrophobic than it was before you pressed play. This doom and sludge bred bastard is so dense with sound that you will certainly sink in it. However, there is an un-suppressed amount of melody that contains the sullied and contaminated sludge that flows so freely here, bringing ties to the southern groove pioneers like Pantera and Crowbar. Even more potent than the melodic nature of Herder is their signature three way guitar onslaught. While the rhythm section certainly set the momentum and drive each song its these three separate guitars groovin' and thrashin' in unison that set Herder apart from other sludge and doom focused musicians. Check out their terrifying artwork and albums name-sake Horror Vacui below or head over to Reflection Records web-store to order a copy.

Members: 

BLITZER - Bass // Booze 

JB - Guitar // Sunn 

JEROEN - Guitar // Blaze 

MARC - Guitar // Doom 

NICO - Vocals // Smokes 

TOM - Drums // Fashion

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Temple: On The Steps Of The Temple 

A church, a mosque, a synagogue, a temple. These places we, as humans, call holy come in many different names and forms. Universally, though, we find ourselves in these areas for one reason. To dig, to reflect, and to discover more about ourselves and the world around us. Music can also be a tool used to enhance this search, whether it is heard at one of these sites in the form of sacred music, chanting, or even in a place as comfortable as your own living room. Today's second 'Dose uses the idea of a temple in and throughout their debut release On The Steps Of The Temple, even to the point of naming of the band, Temple. This creates a hugely conceptual nature to the overall package (I mean... look at that killer album art!), begging to be explored, just like a temple should. What Temple have done here with On The Steps Of The Temple is combined the atmosphere of post-metal with the intensity and aggression of the most extreme forms of metal. Here, On The Steps Of The Temple your minds eye will be clobbered by an onslaught of percussion via blast beats and good old fashioned heavy drumming. The guitars follow up Temple's percussive drive with introspective passages, sludge-laden RIFF-AGE, and haunting solos. So, take the first stride onto ...The Steps... and patiently listen to what Temple will unravel. Who knows, you may find some answers...

Members: 

Rich - Drums // Producer 

Ryan - Guitars // Bass // Keys // Engineer

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