Album Review: Larman Clamor - "Beyonder"

There are album cover artists out there in HeavyPlanet land that crank out beautiful covers for a myriad of Doom and Stoner metal bands and musicians, but one such artist, Alex von Wieding, none more abundantly known, finds the time in between wielding his incredible digital paintbrush to also lay down deep, dank ethereal delights of stoner blues tunes as well, in the guise of Larman Clamor, the moniker of this one man atmospheric blues fuzz machine.

The latest release by Larman Clamor, Beyonder, continues the artist's prolific trend of oozing smoggy blues riffs that slowly sheath the listener in thick tribal chords of indigo smoke, evoking the aroma of old leather and aged whiskey, and smoothly transporting you to a realm of peace and comfort, like old denim and well-worn cowhide.

Beyonder is chock full of 14 separate portals of smoldering warmth where von Wieding demonstrates his mastery of melody and one man band execution. The twangy fuzz rife on every track are time machine riffs of instant primal enrapture, a decadent drink of aged liquor, and the ensuing envelopment of insulated warmth.

This album is a skillful rendition of emotional analgesic, something to warm your bones while you work, relax, or play, a cushion against rigors and demons alike.

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Album Review: Cybernetic Witch Cult - "Spaceous Cretaceous"

How about some fun on this cold winter's morn! "Spaceous Cretaceous" had been submitted to Heavy Planet back in May and I have to admit to not listening to it until recently. It was well worth the wait. This selection of 9 delectable fuzz bombs contrives to rock and rumble in the most unique and uncommon of metal musical ways. Cybernetic Witch Cult manage to weave fantastical tales of mighty warriors, fell creatures of searing fire and bloody claw, far-flung planets, beautiful and tragic femme Fatales, futuristic vessels, and treacherous climes all wrapped tightly, intricately in thick layers of bright fuzz and dark fabric aboard expertly engineered cauldrons of deep rumbling nuclear expression.

Make no mistake, the fantastical nature of the lyrical tales only enhance the expertly rendered music. The tone is bluesy and low, the style is melodic and deep, and the riffs, rills, and runs all exhilarating in execution and encounter. Stitching it all together are the singular vocals of front man Alex Wyld whose rendering is pitch perfect for this style of metal with its stone shard edges, deep grain timbre, and range of execution. No yell vocals here, just an exceptional fry of great reach. The instrumentation throughout this album is an infectious, joyous celebration of old school melodies, darkly drenched in indigo tones, but sharply honed in new school power. The riffs are exquisite, the bass massive, and the stickwork virulent, combined with the heretofore mentioned vocals and sui generis lyrics the individual pieces are all of the highest caliber. Blended and woven together the finished product propels the noteworthy factor forward exponentially, which is no mean feat. So, revel in the accomplishments of this three piece band of mighty dragon slayers from Cornwall, England:

Alex Wyld - Vocals, Guitar
Kale Dean - Bass, Vocals
Rogan Collins - Drums

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ALBUM REVIEW: FALL OF AN EMPIRE - "CROWEATER: AN ECHO IN THE BONE"

South Carolina's Fall of an Empire had arguably one of the best releases of 2014 with their debut album Songs of Steel and Sorrow, named by HeavyPlanet's own Reg as a top ten album for that year. Now they're back with a follow up album, Croweater: An Echo in the Bone. How does this 6 track EP stack up to their gargantuan debut? One spin through is enough to let you know this purple covered jewel exceeds any eager expectations. So well crafted, well constructed, and keenly delivered is the music on this six song presentation it is not beyond the realm of possibility it will become an album for the ages, a metal standard to be enjoyed through time and generations to come.

Each song is an exquisite blend of melody, craft, and fuzz, delivered with high handed skill of the most accomplished songsmiths while brandishing the heart of the hungry tyro. The weaving of syrupy rich solos, gritty riffs, crackerjack rhythm, and exuberant drumwork is exquisitely framed by the magnificent vocals of frontman Kenny Lawrence whose voice is a beacon of rock clarity seldom matched in a sea of thousands of gargling mediocrities.

Band members include:
Brent Carroll - Guitar/Vocals
Shane Smith - Bass
Cody Edens - Guitar
Brad Munoz - Drums
Kenny Lawrence - Lead Vocals

Fall of an Empire's style, if you will, is one of evocative, haunting ballads of deep, rich texture, amplified thrills, gargantuan twin guitars, and leviathan bass and drums trolling along a rumbling underworld of deafening darkness. No song exemplifies this more than the title track "Croweater". The standout song of the album, perhaps, is "Uprising", a relentless pummeling of sound and turbulence whose inexorable vibrations quickly sync to a primal core of sonority. Each song is an adventure of deep stirring with payoff in excess as heart, guile, and finesse deliver a trove of music treasure.

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LP Review: "Crooked Doors" by Royal Thunder

Sometimes “heavy” is more than the notes coming out of the stereo. Sometimes “heavy” is more than the drums, bass, guitar and vocals. Sometimes “heavy” is even more than the visuals associated with the band or the audience they play for. I’m thinking of old Sabbath, Vitus or even modern interpreters like Witchcraft. Heavy is something deeper in those cases. The latest album from Georgia rockers Royal Thunder fits solidly into that vein. In this case, the heaviness is in both the soul of the music and the intense subject matter of the record. This is a breakup record in the many senses of the term.  

Of course, there’s the romantic split between lead singer/bassist Mlny Parsons and lead guitarist Josh Weaver, but there’s also a narrative on the dissolution of several different bonds wrapped in the many layers of the songs.   When Mlny sings “I’m looking for a time machine; but i cannot go back; and change one single thing; its staying all intact” in album opener “Time Machine”  she’s  speaking to ALL of the bonds in need of breaking. 

All of these words and subject matter are one thing and would tell their own story if only as a story. What makes the album truly compelling is the music hooked onto those sentiments. It’s at once harrowing and emotive. Royal Thunder’s first album “CVI” was solid and muscular; a gothic/blues elbow strike powered by Mlny’s Ann Wilson-meets-Janis Joplin voice and Weaver’s groovy 70’s guitar work. On “Crooked Doors” some of that over powering confidence is replaced by a seething anger and disappointment; the ties that bind are breaking and this is their soundtrack. It’s got all of the impact of the first record only even more compelling.

There are several highlights (including the aforementioned opener) and “The Line”, which sounds like an outtake from a Josh Homme side project with its skittering dirty guitars and stop/start rhythm. Perhaps the most cutting track on the record is “Glow”.  The plodding tom-driven beat powers Weaver's narco-slide guitar. It’s a deceptively complex song. It seems fairly straight forward at first listen, but the layers reveal themselves. By the time the solo hits in the 3^rd quarter it’s arena sized as Mlny sneers “you’ve got a lot of nerve spending it like it’s free; you got a lot of nerve to lie and lie again; you got a lot of nerve but you ain’t foolin’ me”.   Ain’t love grand?

You can grab this powerhouse on all the usual channels, iTunes, Google Play and sample the wares on their bandcamp and Facebook pages.