LP Review: Shepherd / Death By Fungi Split

At the beginning of 2015, we were introduced to a sludge/doom band from Bengaluru, India, with their debut full-length record Stereolithic Riffalocalypse, and it blew us away (review here), so it was sad that we recently heard that Shepherd have decided to call it a day. However, before they leave us for good, they've have released a split record with fellow Indian band Death By Fungi, who onslaught us with a hardcore edge, and it's a nice stamp in the face to remember the band by.

Perhaps it's because they're sharing a record with a hardcore band, or it was a direction that the band were heading down before they called it a day, but Shepherd have lost some of their doomier aspects (just some though) and gone for full on sludge meets hardcore, with elements of fuzzy djent in there too (you remember djent? That musical genre that lasted the summer of 2009?), and it's a sound that's exciting to behold. The record opens with five tracks from Shepherd, with 'Agents of Nihil' setting the tone with a bleak and frightening monologue from the climax of the film The Exorcist 3, before the chaotic sludge explosion assaults you, while their almost trademark chugging bass heavy riffs drive the spine of the song forward, a sound which all us doom/sludge heads will cling to. The vocals mix with light and darker growls, while they even find time to shred while the drums go off like a pneumatic drill. Shepherd, haven't lost their sound, so much as shoved a firecracker up its arse and honed the results. Our highlight of the entire record is 'Hope Comes Gnawing' with an almost funky sludge bassline continues throughout, both exciting and frightening in the same breath. 'Fungalord' and 'Weed Dealer' (Shepherd have always been a band who like to have fun with their song titles, just see 'Turdspeak' or 'Black Cock of Armageddon') are tracks which are both excellent break-neck speed sludge tracks with elements of stoner added in for, well, why the hell not? You can never really relax with these guys as they can change time signatures and pull out devilish riffs from out of nowhere. We're going to miss this band.

While the hardcore genre may not be something with which you guys out there are necessarily drawn to straight away (this being a site for the best stoner/doom/sludge/psych etc), Death By Fungi are not a band that you should ignore. While many of the trademark hardcore elements are there with constant snare beats, breakneck speed playing, high velocity shouting vocals, there are definite elements of something just that bit heavier with this band, just take the riffs with 'Edgelord Breakdown' melting your face with it's furious assault throughout and the anger of the vocals screaming "You've failed me so many times!", they take the elements of sludge which Shepherd bring to the table and put their own spin on it, and it becomes an invigorating and refreshing listen. 'Dead Soil' morphs into a sound which is like doom on acid, with a fluctuating heart rate that'll kill you with a smile on your face.

Even though Shepherd have sped up their sonic game, they're still the slower, sludgier of the two bands here, and the compliment each other well. If this indeed does prove to be Shepherd's final opus (bands do get back together after all) then it's a mighty fine closing on a short, but heavy-as-fuck career, one which you're a fool to have missed so far (but thanks for introducing us to Death By Fungi on your way out). Get this record now and give your ears a good kicking!

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The Top 20 Albums of 2015 - As Chosen By You

2015 - what a year for new music...

It's safe to say the world's of doom, sludge & stoner have each had strong years - there's been so many incredible records, and be sure to check out some of the Heavy Planet writers top 20's in the coming days... But where would Heavy Planet be without YOU, our riff-hungry audience?

We thought it would be interesting to look at what albums you responded to this year, and rank them based on hits of their reviews... And give you another chance to discover that next killer band you've been looking for.

So here in all their glory are the top 20 records of 2015 as chosen by you...


20. 'Black Age Blues' by Goatsnake

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19. 'Radiant Moon' by WATCHTOWER

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18. Hawkdope by Black Rainbows 

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17. "Lore" by Elder

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16.  'Restarter' by Torche

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15. 'Sermonize' by Isaak

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14. 'I Am Heavy Metal, Who Are You?' by Omar

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13. 'Koza' by Koza

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12. 'To Dethrone A God 'by The Sun The Moon The Stars

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11. 'Chapter 1: A Long Time Coming' by Profane And The Sacred

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10. 'Cold Was The Ground' by The Midnight Ghost Train

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9. Overstaying My Welcome by Void Cruiser

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8. 'Solus' by Bardus

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7. 'Terminal' by Limb

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6. 'Before The Fog Covers The Mount' by 1886 

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5. 'Stereolithic Riffalocalypse' by Shepherd

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4. 'Gravitron' by The Atomic Bitchwax

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3. 'MagicMustache' by Black Pussy

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2. 'Home Is Where The Hatred Is' by Primitive Man

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1. 'Living Ghosts' by We Hunt Buffalo

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Thank you for your continued support of Heavy Planet, and most importantly the bands who put everything they have into making the music we go fucking nuts for...

Bring on 2016!

LP Review: 'Stereolithic Riffalocalypse' by Shepherd

Heavy thick slabs of doom-laden riffs, primal suffocated vocals, and the most metal of metal song titles are what Bangalore, India, band Shepherd are offering in droves on their debut record Stereolithic Riffalocalypse, with one catch; once you’re drawn in, you’re stuck there forever.

The three masked men of the doom-grunge-stoner apocalypse (Namit, Abhishek, Deepak) have crafted a record which effortlessly flickers through elements of heavy fuzzed over doom, slowly dragging your corpse through the thick swampy waters of a desolate night, meteoric-sized stoner riffs that make you want to invert your face, and grunge elements akin to The Melvins being raised on Soundgarden’s teats. Opening with the darkly heavy  ‘Snake Pit’, the trio rive in a sea of ethereal despair singing “Slow unease sinks into the body of frozen blood and grinding bones”, “I’m hidden in the pit, I’m hidden in the pit of spite.” Holy hell are the riffs heavy as the song builds to its demonic climax.

The band like to have fun with their song titles, aside from the mightier-than-thou record title, songs such as ‘Turdspeak’ and ‘Black Cock of Armageddon’ can on the surface make the guys look like a comedy band, but in the case of Shepherd, it’s a band not just blessed with a sense of humour, but their tongue-in-cheek titles propel the band onto a layer of music that many other doom orientated bands are not able to reach with at times alienating attitudes to music, thinking themselves as demonic spawn; Shepherd want you to know that they are all about the music, letting everyone in to simply rock/doom/grunge out with them. In particular, ‘Black Cock of Armageddon’ has guitar shredding to match the earliest of Thrash metal, heavy doom yells for lovers of the riff, and spiteful, devastating lyrics which could be used as the last words spoken to your nemesis before the boot of Shepherd stomps on their face, forever.

Stereolithic Riffalocalypse is dark without being alienating, it explores different styles without disrespecting any, it’s heavy without forgetting its structure and flow, but above all, it is a truly awesome record, for lovers of everything that is HEAVY!

(on a side note, you have to admire that artwork, designed by Dangercat the band wanted it to "look like an ancient massive guitar amp kinda like the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey", and you have to say it is spot on, and perfectly captures the sound of Shepherd!)

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