Zac's "Double Dose": Sleepers Awake / VolumeFeeder

 

Sleepers Awake: The Fulcrum Single 

Commencing in a sonorous roar and a clash of metallic instrumentation Columbus, Ohio's Sleepers Awake introduce us to their latest single The Fulcrum from the soon to be released full length album Transcension. Formed in 2005 this quartet have focused their talents on creating over-the-top epics through a progressive mentality, citing influences from Mastodon to Queen. I say epics because the band likes to stick to a concept and also fully appreciates albums as entire pieces of art, leading to what I believe is an epic disposition. So, The Fulcrum is a very small corner of a twelve track sonic painting due out the seventeenth of June (those interested in pre-ordering Trancension can do so at the bands web-store). Now, the question is, what can we dissect from this sample of the illustration in regards to the entire piece and more importantly how much metal can we find within Trancension? Well, first and one of the most prominent features of The Fulcrum is the triumphant vocal prowess of Chris Thompson. The potency in his proclamation throughout The Fulcrum could carry an album on its own and instills a promising outlook for the full length release. Next up, the brilliant percussion of "Ambrose", or Chris number two, Burnsides. His volatile drumming patterns, transforming from complex strikes to a tribal wallop, will encircle your cerebral cortex and leave your mouth agape. Finally, we come to the interlacing guitars and bass. Chris [Thompson] and Rob Bradley find themselves engaged in twin guitar slinging duels one moment and the next feeding off of one anothers booming RIFFS, while Kedar Hiremath's bass supports the battle-front. The track approaches its climax with a tolling bell mixed into Ambrose's Dany Carey-esque rolling patter. This soon evolves into a full spectral blast thanks to those swelling guitars and there you have it. The Fulcrum ends as abruptly as it began. So, lets return to our initial question. "How much metal can we find...?" Well, I'd say an oceanic proportion of metal on Trancension. Within the six minutes of The Fulcrum we find a depiction of RIFFING swells, heroic singing, and voracious tides of percussion adorning Trancension's canvas. Check it out below and get out there to support these guys. Word on the street is they have played shows with Heavy Planet favorites The MIdnight Ghost Train and Neon Warship! How could anyone in their right mind want to miss that show?

Members: 

Christopher “Ambrose” Burnsides - Drums 

Chris Thompson - Vocals // Guitar 

Kedar Hiremath - Bass 

Rob Bradley - Guitar

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VolumeFeeder: Crowns and Chains 

VolumeFeeder, this weeks follow-up 'Dose, hail from Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary. No, I have no clue how to pronounce that city's name and that's okay. Why? Because what is important here are the tunes. With their latest EP, entitled Crowns and Chains, VolumeFeeder have found a delightfully groovy way to indulge aggression. This trio has been creating a Hungarian-take on that Southern Louisiana sound for some ten years now and after listening to the three tracks available on Crowns and Chains, I plainly hear why. These three know how to work off of each others creativity and the outcome is just straight groove-laden metal hooks and RIFFS, RIFFS, RIFFS. You will not be sitting still for long when you plug Crowns and Chains in. So, get yourself over to bandcamp where the entire EP is streaming and available at a "Name Your Price" download. But support these guys in anyway you can. Then we can hope for a full length release.

Members: 
"Imi" Imre Balázs - Vocals // Guitar 
"Geri" Gergő Drahota - Bass 
"Robi" Róbert Jaksa - Drums

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Zac's "Double Dose": All Them Witches / Necronomicon

All Them Witches: Our Mother Electricity (Remastered) 

Man, I love the influence the south has had on music. Whether it be blues, jazz, country, or rock something about the soul of the south etches itself in the music and it remains there... eternally. Case in point, my current favorite record Our Mother Electricity (Remastered) by All Them Witches. That southern soul is vibrant in Nashville's All Them Witches and one listen through Our Mother Electricity will make you a believer. The music the band describes as Psychedelta Rock is full of "sweaty beats and dope riffs" and most certainly inspired by "divine energy". The album is also completely dynamic. For instance the first track Heavy/Like A Witch, with its Alice in Chains dual vocalizing, is heavily blues inspired with moments of intense doom and 70's era psychedelics and the very next track The Urn finds an Americana via alt country twang and has lyrical lines that demand to be sung-along. The album continues to travel through fast paced rockers, soulful grooves and slower chill tracks. The final tracks Family Song For The Leaving and Right Hand are smooth, super chilled and full of luscious melody. Family... being an acoustic plucked gem really stands out while Right Hand has more of that Alice in Chains style vocalizing and then there is the sound of fingers sliding along the guitar strings... simply hypnotizing. The remastered edition includes a bonus track with a power-punk punch, some bad attitude and whiskey-stained breath. Seriously, why are you still reading this? Just go get a copy of Our Mother Electricity at bandcamp or Elektrohasch Records... NOW!

 

Members: 

Ben McLeod 

Robby Staebler 

Michael Parks 

Allan Van Cleave 

Jason Staebler

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Necronomicon: The Queen of Death 

The fans of psychedelic doom will rejoice at the triumphant noise resounding from Brazil's Necronomicon. Playing a low-fi style psych-rock in the name of progress, Necronomicon combine a taste of Sabbathian doom with Floyd-esque space rock. The Queen of Death, the trio's second LP, catapults listeners into an intergalactic adventure of a hit-man blood-thirsty for the evil doer known as the Queen of Death. Yes, we have a concept record on hand folks and this multi-talented trio deliver the story subtly. Most of the emphasis and emotion is placed in the albums diverse instrumentation. Necronomicon will please the psych and progressive crowd with the contrasting sounds of an organ, harpsichord and synths against a wall of guitar, bass and drums. The album truly has that 70's vintage feel. I highly suggest this one for fans of Witchcraft, Kadaver and Graveyard. Check out their official video for The Assassin's Song below. The sun bleached and over-exposed film really compliments the trippy track. Want to support Necronomicon? Order a copy of the record at Hydro Phonic Records or Necro-nom-nom-nom-icon on The Queen of Death at bandcamp.

 

Members: 

Lillian Lessa - Guitar 

Pedro Ivo Araujo - Bass // Vocals 

Thiago Alef - Drums 

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