Chris Rowella – Invisible Oranges – The Metal Blog

Classic Rock Devotees Stone Axe Let Their “Stay of Execution” End (Early Album Stream)

Chris Rowella — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 18:00:58 +0000

Discovering the first Stone Axe album in late 2009 was a revelation; decades of both individual and collective classic rock worship had finally reached its logical conclusion. A band that could only exist in 1971 had crossed the Rubicon and entered the 21st century, bell-bottomed and sideburn-ed, emerging from a time machine fashioned from Paul Kossoff’s ’59 Les Paul and the Mystery Machine. Not only did Stone Axe stand on the shoulders of giants, they swam through the bloodstreams to a vibrant heart beating to the cadence of “Mississippi Queen”’s cowbell.

In their all-too-brief existence, the band–songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Tony Reed and singer Dru Brinkerhoff, occasionally joined by session and live musicians–found a sizeable cult following and cranked out two full-length albums, loaded wall-to-wall with name-that-riff odes to Bon Scott’s AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Free, Mountain, and every other dusty record in your cool uncle’s vinyl collection. Now, more than a decade after Stone Axe seemed to fade away, Stay Of Execution serves as a final statement on what Reed wanted to convey with his side project, yet calling it that feels like a disservice to a project that captured the essence of a time and place better than most musicians’ main gigs.

While the back half of Stay Of Execution contains previously released (though hard to find) material, the first four tracks are seeing daylight for the first time. Unsurprisingly, they run the gamut of hard rock/proto-metal influences from Nazareth and Seventies Judas Priest to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blind Faith. Have you ‘heard it all before’? Sure, but that misses the point. Stone Axe exists not to innovate, but to celebrate. And when it’s good, brother, it is good. Listen to an exclusive full debut of Stay of Execution and read an interview with Tony Reed below.

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Stone Axe has been more or less dormant for the last decade, so I’ll get the obvious question out of the way first: why release this album now?

It was a contractual obligation I had with Ripple Music. When Ripple let Mos Generator out of our contract to sign with Listenable Records, we did it with the agreement that Stone Axe would deliver another album. It wasn’t a stern agreement because we are all good friends but recently I felt like it was a good time to get these songs released so I wouldn’t need to think about them anymore.

I noticed Side B are deep cuts from some previous splits and singles, but the first four tracks are totally “new” to the public. How did you decide which of the previously released songs would make it onto Stay Of Execution, and are there any other Stone Axe originals still locked away in the vaults?

I chose those songs because I wanted them to have a second look (or listen). They are some of my favorite songs we ever did. I am particularly fond of “For All Who Fly.”

Stone Axe came about during another turn in the “rediscovery” cycle, when it seemed like lots of people once again figured out there were a ton of great bands back in the day that never got their due. Which musicians or bands from that classic era mean a lot to you, who you also believe are still underappreciated or overlooked?

A full blown discussion about music of the seventies would take many hours :), but I will tell you the direct influence on Stone Axe, and that was Free. In 2007 I was in a record store and the clerk was playing the self-titled Free from 1969 and I was very inspired. I was well familiar with the band but not so much with this album. I left the record store and started writing songs in a more classic rock style. Initially, They were meant for Mos Generator, and some of those ideas ended up on The Vault Sessions (aka The Lantern) but once my writing in this style kicked into overdrive I wanted to keep the songs for another project. During the development of this project I was listening to a lot of Free, Cream, Faces, early Thin Lizzy, Mountain, and tons of other late sixties, early seventies blues based rock. I was also a big fan of the underground progressive blues and downer rock bands of the seventies. Artists like Bloodrock, Captain Beyond, Leaf Hound, Pentagram, Iron Claw, and the one and only…Necromandus, were just a few of many bands that inspired the Stone Axe formula.

When I heard the first Stone Axe record back in 2009, I immediately played it for my father. He was shocked that it was a new release; he thought I had dug some obscure vinyl from the early ’70s out of his record collection. Your main gig in Mos Generator obviously owes quite a bit to the classics, but Stone Axe is a direct line to that first post-Woodstock wave. Do you have a different approach to the songwriting when it comes to Stone Axe and, as the only other constant member of the band, how involved was (vocalist) Dru Brinkerhoff?

In Stone Axe, musically, I didn’t have to answer to any other musicians. I wrote and performed all of the music on the studio recordings (with a few minor exceptions) so that gave me a different kind of freedom that I didn’t have in Mos Generator or other bands I was in. As far as the process goes, I would write, arrange and record complete songs and then give them to Dru to write vocal melodies and lyrics to. Sometime I may have given him direction like “sing it like Paul Rogers” or something like that but for the most part, Dru came up with all of the melodies and lyrics and would usually lay down a track in two or three takes. We had no studio band so there was no rehearsing of the songs before they were recorded. Dru and I worked very well together.

There have been certain songs over the years that have incredibly specific vibes; the full-on Thin Lizzy worship of “Those Were The Golden Years” and “Riders Of The Night” being the best song Free never wrote come to mind. I hear similar things on Stay Of Execution, like the spirit of Tom Petty on “Lady Switchblade” and Black Sabbath IV-isms of “Deep Blue”. Were these conscious decisions? Did you ever sit down and think ‘I’m going to write a Leaf Hound song today’?

We called ourselves “Seventies Rock Preservationists” and practically dared our listeners to tell us where everything we wrote came from. I would definitely sit down and consciously write a song in a certain style. If I was vibing on a song and thinking “damn, I would love to write something with this feel”, then I would. A few songs in the catalog really stick out as using that concept.

The album title, Stay Of Execution–that could mean a few different things in this context. Could that imply there’s more life for the band in the future?

It means that the unreleased songs have been sitting around long enough. They have had their Stay of Execution and now need to see the hangman. For the record.. there will be no more Stone Axe activity as far as shows or new songs. Although it’s cool that these songs are finally getting released, the band and concept ran its course over ten years ago.

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Stay of Execution releases March 18th on Ripple Music.

Chris Rowella’s Top Albums of 2021

Chris Rowella — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 23:00:00 +0000

This introduction is always the hardest thing for me to write each year. Ostensibly it’s a space to survey the year in heavy music, possibly discuss certain trends and events, and maybe find a correlation to the world at large. I usually end up admitting that, for the most part, I really don’t have the first clue as to why the world is the way it is, and more subtly how I feel an ever-growing detachment from it with each passing year (still true). Hypocrisy and self-aggrandizement have given baseball a run for national pastime, and it’s incredibly easy to get bogged down in that muck with the grifters and shitheels. But music (among very few other things) hasn’t let me down yet, and I pray that it never does. Here are the albums that best got me through this nonsense, and will continue to do so when needed. By all indications, that’s going to be often.

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Honorable Mentions:

20. Spelljammer – Abyssal Trip (RidingEasy Records, Sweden) 19. Panopticon – …And Again Into The Light (Bindrune Recordings, USA) 18. Tunic – Quitter (Artoffact Records, Canada) 17. Genghis Tron – Dream Weapon (Relapse Records, USA) 16. Cannibal Corpse – Violence Unimagined (Metal Blade Records, USA) 15. Lucifer – IV (Century Media Records, Germany/Sweden) 14. Universally Estranged – Reared Up In Spectral Predation (Blood Harvest Records, USA) 13. Mastodon – Hushed And Grim (Reprise Records, USA) 12. Withered – Verloren (Season Of Mist, USA) 11. Steel Bearing Hand – Slay In Hell (Carbonized Records, USA)

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One of the catchiest grindcore albums you’ll hear this year, D.O.D. is the flag-planting debut of Camera Obscura Two (an important distinction, as they are easily confused with the other one). Comprised of Italian extreme underground talent from Cripple Bastards, Schizo, Novembre and others, coupled with a unique lineup featuring two bass players, CO2’s sound is equally assured and ferocious. With the low end locked up, the band hits all the Napalm Death/Repulsion buttons while carving out their own sound. In a scene where bands and albums easily seep into a giant blur of speed and noise, this is a standout.

Listen here.

Your uncle’s Florida death metal, this is not. If an ancient, cursed graveyard was flooded by an evil hurricane, Foreverglade might be what gurgled to the surface. Creeping, cavernous death/doom of the highest (lowest?) order, awash with keyboard flourishes, unintelligible chants, and slow-motion-headbang riffs. Album highlight “Cloaked In Nightwinds” is like a self-contained short horror film, an eleven-minute trip of chugging metal standards, ghostly solos, and a textured atmosphere of dread. Worm has found their icky, swampy, groove, and if they stick to it, there’s a good chance they will catch up to the masters whom appear a little further up these ranks.

Listen here.

I like to think Carcass put out new releases just to make it easier for me when it’s time to compile year-end lists. They don’t miss!

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Red Fang has always been a band that was just…there. Their previous albums are perfectly fine, and they’ve made some great music videos, but the music never did the thing for me – until now. When Arrows came out, it was to a mixed response; a lot of their fans seemed confused or disappointed with it, especially the production. But it’s these perceived negatives that have endeared the album to me, a now-full-fledged Red Fang fan. The rawness and muffled effects on tracks like “Unreal Estate” and “Arrows” give the album a noisy, unpolished sound that sets it apart from the earlier records and hit the marks I typically look for in a great modern rock album. If Arrows is an indication of what the future looks like, I’m on board.

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Look, we can talk about modern Black Sabbath worship for eternity. There are websites, books, magazines, and entire record labels dedicated to just that, not to mention the countless bands that fill the ranks. It boils down to this: if you’re going to do it, be the best at it, or be relegated to the opening slot on the fourth stage at Blazing Bong Fest or whatever. (I would absolutely attend that fest, but that’s neither here nor there.) Your Time To Shine is clearly Monolord doing their take on the Volume 4/Sabbath Bloody Sabbath era, and it’s better than anything else I’ve heard attempting to do the same thing. This may come across as damning with faint praise, but really, if you sound this much like the best band to ever exist it’s a very good thing.

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February feels like both a million years ago and yesterday simultaneously, which in our post-outbreak world is no longer unusual. Songs For The Enamel Queen has been a close companion since then, its caustic emotional resonance striking a deep chord I didn’t even know existed. Throughout the flood of daily new releases and neverending promotional PR cycles, I’ve never gone more than a few days without listening to some or all of it. When people talk about the power music can wield, it’s an album like this I would use as a prime example.

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Hooded Menace have explored every dank, cobwebbed crevice of the death/doom caverns, and now they’re…having fun!? Maybe Lasse Pyykko was listening to a lot of Maiden and Candlemass during the lockdowns, or the three year gap between full-lengths gave the band some extra juice. Either way, The Tritonus Bell absolutely shreds, in a way typically unheard of in this corner of the metal world. Pyykko’s riffs have always been HM’s centerpiece, and here they’re faster and more catchy than at any other point in the band’s existence. For a group that has always been at the top of their subgenre’s heap to incorporate a bold new sound, still kill it, AND have their fanbase on board? That’s a new level. To be here for it is a blessing.

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Connecticut is a small state with an expectedly miniscule extreme music scene, so when a truly remarkable band emerges from time to time, I feel obligated to shout them from the hills. On their latest release, Intercourse cements a spot at the top of my favorite regional acts. Blending noise, hardcore, post-metal, and whatever else fits, their sardonic humor and unhinged energy come to a head on Rule 36 (“Rule 36: There will always be more fucked up shit than what you just saw.”) “Sorry I Missed Your Set” and “Crop Circle Jerk” tell you all you need to know right off the bat, while vocalist Tarek Ahmed launches lines at you like a belligerent standup comic bombing on a Tuesday night. The intensity only lets up during a few brief, droning moments on “Dr. Catheter” and the KEN Mode-styled staccato of “Sweet Dreams Sour Milk”, but otherwise this is a cement block in the washing machine on spin cycle. Listen accordingly.

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It has been six years since Grievances, KWC’s previous album. That’s OK; once again, time is relative, a flat circle, etc. They are a band that, right from the first listen, felt like home. Comfortable, familiar, a space for reflection and introspection. Listening to a Kowloon Walled City album is disappearing from the physical world for a brief moment, and Piecework continues that tradition. The reasons are difficult to pinpoint; it’s not their specific sound, which is easy to identify in that sludgy post-hardcore Neurosis-type way. Scott Evans has a great voice that complements the songs perfectly, but that’s not quite it either. Somewhere in the sparse but eloquent arrangements, the moments of silence between strikes on strings or drumstick hits, there is truth and knowledge. It reveals itself slowly, almost imperceptibly, but in the end I always feel differently about myself, the world around me, often both. Yes, Piecework is transcendental, and despite that word being horribly overused lately, it’s the only one that fits.

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If you’re going to title a song “I Want To Punch Bruce Springsteen In The Dick” just know that regardless of said song’s quality, you’re going in my top 10. I don’t make the rules, I just assist or get out of the way. But when that song completely rips, and is surrounded by other, equally head-ripping monster jams, well, you’re heading to the top. Dead Horse is the most fun you can have listening to music. A bold statement? Sure. (“But what about disco, Chris? What about EDM? Did you forget polka??”) But right from the opening feedback of “JFK Speedwagon” Bummer is creating a metaphysical amplifier; if you’re having a good day, Dead Horse will make it a great day. Conversely, if you come home fuming about the worst Monday ever, Dead Horse will make short work of putting fists through drywall. Either way, you’ll be making the metal stank face and pissing off your neighbors, and isn’t that the point of all this, anyway?

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Tunic’s Chaotic Requiem for a “Quitter” (Early Album Stream)

Chris Rowella — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 18:00:43 +0000

Music, like all art, is about the way one perceives the world. This leads to, among other things, meditations on truth and reality. Still, it’s rare to find an act that is sonically honest. (Is that the most pretentious phrase ever written? Possibly!) Winnipeg trio-now-duo Tunic is such a band, whose caustic earnestness is not only heard in singer/guitarist David Schellenberg’s passionate howls, but in the fibers of each song’s being. Drummer Dan Unger and former bassist Rory Ellis round out the other essential elements on new album Quitter, where Tunic is shedding skin and emerging stronger, smarter and – in the spirit of honesty – better than they’ve ever been.

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Quitter by tunic

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Opening with the one-two punch of “Apprehension” and “Quitter” – the title track directly referencing band co-founder Ellis exiting the band after recording the album – Tunic make quick work reminding listeners of the shoulders they stand on: Fugazi, Jesus Lizard, Big Black, et cetera. They deftly maneuver into a signature but familiar sound, with Ellis’ overdriven bass and Schellenberg’s go-for-broke punk playing style matched to Unger’s impassioned drumming. Like the best of their contemporaries in KEN Mode, Whores., and Bummer, everything sounds like it’s teetering on the edge of collapse; that “controlled chaos” vibe is an integral part of the aforementioned sincerity in that Tunic deals. As listeners, we trust that what is ostensibly disjointed anarchy will come together and, well, slap. And if Quitter does anything, it slaps.

Listening to Ellis’ monster tones and riffs on “Fake Interest” and “You’re A Bug,” it’s hard to imagine Tunic without him. However, the band was born from adversity; Schellenberg started it after being told he wasn’t good enough to play in a previous group. Quitter is already leaps and bounds ahead of their previous work, so as the rest of the world emerges from a period where sometimes quitting was the only option, Tunic is ahead of the curve and turning it into art.

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Quitter releases October 15th on Artoffact Records.

Bummer’s Noisy Rock Doesn’t Hold Back: “I Want to Punch Bruce Springsteen in the Dick” (Track Stream + Q&A)

Chris Rowella — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 18:30:31 +0000

Oliver Cromwell once said, “subtlety may deceive you; integrity never will.” Bearing that in mind, Bummer may have more integrity than most bands right now, because “I Want To Punch Bruce Springsteen In The Dick” is about as subtle as, well, an uppercut right to the Boss’s babymaker. It’s a heaving, lurching, Frankenstein’s monster-falling-down-the-stairs track that grooves and skronks like the best noise rock always does. Samples from Otto Preminger’s provocative The Man With The Golden Arm lie buried in the mix between vocalist/guitarist Matt Perrin’s raging howls, bellowing: “And to suffer is to live without relief to have everything in life but peace”. It’s one of several highlights on Bummer’s forthcoming full-length Dead Horse, their best release to date and a new benchmark for quality in an ever-growing noise rock scene. We spoke with Perrin and bass player Mike Gustafson about the album and the inspiration behind “Punch”, amongst other things.

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Dead Horse by BUMMER

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The last eighteen months need no introduction; did you approach writing and recording Dead Horse any differently as a result?

Matt Perrin: Writing, no. Same old shit. Somebody has an idea or a riff and we jam on it til it’s hashed out.

Recording, yes. It was approached a little differently this time around. We recorded with Justin Mantooth at Westend Recording Studios in KCK like we usually do, but this time around we demo’d the whole thing out in Logic beforehand at our practice space. We did essentially the whole record and I (Matt) did vocals in the closet of my home office at my old house. It gave us the ability to know exactly what to expect going into the studio this time around at Westend. We had plenty of time to dick around on our own with tones, vocal phrasing, guitar leads, breaks, flow and other dumb little things before hand so we knew exactly what we wanted going into the studio this time around. Felt like a fully maintenanced, well-oiled machine.

Mike Gustafson: We’ve always pulled songs out of our asses. Did the same thing for this record. During the shit show that was 2020 we met up a bunch and just kept busting out new songs. I can’t speak for the other guys but being in a horrible ass mood really helped write these suckers.

Going back and listening to Young Ben Franklin and Milk, the band’s sound has definitely evolved (or devolved, in a good way) to something more chaotic and abrasive. Dead Horse sounds more aggressive than anything you’ve done before. Is that intentional, or just a natural progression?

Perrin: It’s just a natural progression with age. I was 17/18 when Young Ben Franklin & Milk was recorded and Mike was 20/21 around that time. Hutch wasn’t even with us back then either! Hutch joined right after Spank was released (though he was in other bands with us prior to him joining). We had Sam Hunter playing back then on Young Ben Franklin (that dude introduced us to gravity bongs. absolute game changer), and then Thomas WIlliams on Milk. Kinda wild to think about. We were just kids. Just playing groovy shit we liked in my mom’s basement without a care in the world. As we got older in this game called life we dove deeper into different influences and kept building from there. Don’t think anybody knew we’d still be doing this 8/9 years later, but here we are. Still riffin’.

Gustafson: Natural progression. The worst thing you can do while being in a band is settling with the music you’ve put out. Assume that your whole set sucks and write some better songs.

Sardonic humor is as much a part of this particular genre as great riffs, and the lyrics on Dead Horse absolutely fit the bill. “JFK Speedwagon” and “Rareware” feel intensely personal. Are they focused on a particular individual, or the current environment?

Perrin: It’s kind of 50/50. They’re both focused on the idea or events of what it means to be from Kansas. The places, ideas, relationships, geography, and culture you learn from being born and raised here in the plains. Which is what a lot of Dead Horse is about (other than the aliens and sci fi shit). The idea of being from Kansas CIty. The culture of a landlocked city split between two states that have hated each other since each other’s inception surrounded by a vast big empty. JFK specifically deals with issues and events influenced heavily by my relationships, environment, and wobbling mental health that caused me to relapse on opioids and slip into a less than pleasant headspace. Something that feels un-escable at times out here in Kansas/Missouri. Rareware is a self-reflection of a past state. It is a summary of the most recent chapter of my life before moving to the current one I am now. It is quite personal and definitely directed towards a particular individual or two, but it was done in a sense that would allow me to come to terms with that part of my life being over. It is a summary of feelings that plagued me for 2 years straight, and that’s why it’s at the end of the record. Just kind of sums it all up. I wanted out, I got out, and I’m starting over.

Gustafson: Particular genre? Do you mean rock and roll music? Matt writes the lyrics. I come up with the song names. Life can get all sorts of screwed up. We just laugh and keep moving forward.

On the same tip, “I Want To Punch Bruce Springsteen In The Dick” has zero competition for best song title of 2021. What was the genesis?

Perrin: That’s all Mike. Mike has all the good song titles. He’s had that one in the bank for 10 years. Posted it on the internet one day and kept in the bank ever since. Just felt right finally.

Gustafson: Thank you. I’ll take ALL of the credit for that bad boy. Bruce Springsteen puts out shit music and I think he’s a big cheese ball. I like to call his style of music “chili cheese dog rock”. Fuck Bruce Springsteen and fuck stadium rock.

“E1M1” is like “The Springfield Files” episode of The Simpsons when Homer sees Mr. Burns as an alien, but through filters of acid and distortion. Is this based on a close encounter one of you had?

Gustafson: This is a Matt question. The song title “E1M1” is the name of the first level in Doom. Thanks Doom.

Perrin: Haha, no unfortunately it is not. The song is loosely based on the events of July 13, 1860 in Wilmington, Delaware. In which a pale blue light engulfed the town caused supposedly by 200 foot-long something streaking along on a level course 100 feet above the town. Trailing behind it at 100-foot intervals cruised three “very red and glowing balls.” A fourth abruptly joined the other three after shooting out from the rear of the main object, which was “giving off sparkles after the manner of a rocket.” The lead object turned toward the southeast, passed over the Delaware River, and then headed straight east until lost from view. The incident lasted one minute according to the Wilmington Tribune. During the early stages of quarantine during the pandemic I spent a lot of time delving into the world of Public Domain noir and sci-fi films. Which soon led me down a rabbit whole of 1950s sci fi and literature on space and extraterrestrials, and the Wilmington, Delaware event just happened to be one of those weird things I stumbled upon and sparked my curiosity.

The lyrics to “Quadruple ZZ Top” address environmental degradation, but with the recent passing of Dusty Hill, I have to ask: favorite song from that little ol’ band from Texas?

Perrin: “Precious and Grace”. RIP Dusty, you fucking legend.

Gustafson: “Precious and Grace”. R.I.P. Dusty Hill.

Outside of the first few seconds of “Magic Cruel Bus”, Dead Horse never really lets up on the gas. The immediacy is palpable, almost like a live album. Would you say it’s a good indicator of what listeners can expect from Bummer going forward?

Perrin: I’d say so. We’ve always aimed for the all killer, no filler mentality. If you can’t plug in play that shit live the same way you play it in the studio then go be in an 8 member experimental indie pop band or something. As to who knows what’s in store for the future? Well, as Enya would say best. “Only Time”.

Gustafson: Next record is going to be evil as shit. Hold on to your tits n’ dicks.

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Dead Horse releases October 1st via Thrill Jockey Records.

Black Sheep Wall Pens Personal and Painful “Songs For The Enamel Queen” (Early Album Stream + Q&A)

Chris Rowella — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 22:00:15 +0000

In an era when every subgenre and sub-subgenre has seemingly been identified, catalogued, and put on a shelf, it’s refreshing to hear something one just can’t pin down. Drawing influence and inspiration from disparate places is nothing new; it’s all about what you do with those things. Metal, hardcore, noise, post-rock, sad trumpet(?), sludge, soundscape dirges: what your local record shop might have as a half-dozen different sections, Black Sheep Wall combine to craft their latest wrecking ball, Songs For The Enamel Queen.

This is not Black Sheep Wall throwing random shit on a canvas and hoping it sticks in a cool, artsy way. (Unfortunately there’s always a surplus of that kind of tedium, especially in this pocket of the music world.) Early albums I Am God Songs and No Matter Where It Ends were built on a solid and reliable Neur-Isis foundation, with the band and its subsequent incarnations using that merely as a jumping-off point to explore just what ‘sonic devastation’ can mean. By 2015’s I’m Going To Kill Myselfm listeners could hear Earth, Slint, and Swans snaking their way into Black Sheep Wall’s now-singular sound. Songs For The Enamel Queen uses all of those building blocks and injects them with an added layer of emotional, resonant intensity that bleeds through the speakers.

After the brutal introduction of “Human Shaped Hole,” vocalist Brandon Gillichbauer makes quick work of showing exactly where he’s at on the 13-plus minute behemoth “New Measures Of Failure”:

I am
The failure that feeds you
But the biggest mistake I could make
Was trusting the shithead that was me.

Feedback, off-kilter drums and lurching riffs provide an appropriately dissonant backdrop before the song dials back the distortion and dips into a spoken word interlude. This all happens before the halfway mark, but it never feels forced or overstuffed. Gillichbauer returns during an even quieter moment to bellow “I hope I make you embarrassed, I hope you’re afraid. I hope you keep me a secret. I hope you’re ashamed.” Subtlety, who needs it?

Songs For The Enamel Queen brings back the floor punches with “Concrete God” and “Ballad Of A Flawed Animal,” which both gets the blood flowing and allows drummer Jackson Thompson to show off his considerable talent. The closing suite of “Ren,” “Mr. Gone” and “Prayer Sheet For Wound And Nail” is over a half hour of Black Sheep Wall pushing their collective capacity for songwriting prowess to its very limits. From grandiose walls of distorted sound to the aforementioned melancholy brass, sparse ambient sound to Pinhead vocals, whirling tension bomb riffs to an overdriven shoegaze-on-steroids finale, Songs For The Enamel Queen leaves listeners in a much different place than where they started. It really is a journey, one unlike much else out there, and each trip is a revelation. Listen to an exclusive, pre-release stream of Songs For The Enamel Queen and read an interview with Black Sheep Wall below.

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Songs for the Enamel Queen by Black Sheep Wall

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It’s rare to find a band as aggressive and abrasive as Black Sheep Wall with songs that pass the ten-minute mark. Is that a conscious decision, or does it just happen naturally via the process?

Jackson Thompson (drums): I think in our teenage years there was some notion that we wanted our band to be associated with being especially heavy or abrasive, but I think more than ever we’ve let go of that. We aren’t concerned with writing music that is especially extreme as much as we want to write music we want to hear. I guess we want to hear things that are abrasive, haha.

Jason Grissinger (bass): Writing this album with the band was a natural process. There would be multiple riffs that we’d jam on that were awesome, but didn’t always work well together. So we’d have to find ways to connect them, and in doing so, we’d create these really epic and textured songs that take you on a journey.

Andrew Hulle (guitar): When we wrote Songs for the Enamel Queen time wasn’t a conscious decision when we would get together to work on our new material. A lot of times we would jam on one or a couple of riffs and see where it naturally would take us. The end of the song “New Measures of Failure” is a good example of this. Those moments where we’re feeding off of each other and letting feeling decide the route the music takes are, personally, some of my favorite parts of the album. Most of the time we would end up with a song approaching or surpassing the 10 minute mark. At the same time we have a 2.5 minute and 3.5 minute song on the new album that was a new change of pace for us, but they worked well within the context of the album as a whole.

Was the long hiatus after I’m Going To Kill Myself intentional or just a matter of life getting in the way?

Jackson Thompson: It was unfortunately unintentional, but I think very necessary for us to be at the point where we are now. There are circumstances in which only time can offer a potential solution, and not even that is guaranteed. We’ve had the instrumentals for Songs for the Enamel Queen done for four years now and there were periods since then that I didn’t think we’d ever finish the album. It’s a great lesson in patience to know now that this was worth waiting for.

Jason Grissinger: When I joined the band in 2014 it was because they had some shows coming up and no bass player at the time. For a while after that there wasn’t a focus on writing an album, we were just playing shows, jamming and did a tour. When we started working on new material after that, we really spent a good year and a half or so just writing the songs before even going into the studio. The songs were always evolving and we always found new ways to shape them before we were happy with them.

What led to the band signing with Silent Pendulum?

Andrew Hulle: Our first release with Silent Pendulum was a first time vinyl pressing of our debut album, I Am God Songs. It was such a great experience working with them for that release that our relationship with them eventually and organically developed into what it currently is. Having a label that is genuinely invested in us and shares the same vision and uncompromising standards as us is really something we’re grateful for and humbled by. The experience we had doing the first vinyl release with them was definitely one of the motivating factors to finish and release Songs for the Enamel Queen on their label. We’re excited for what the future has in store for us and Silent Pendulum Records!

A lot of the lyrics, especially on “New Measures Of Failure”, feel intensely personal. Are they about a specific person (or persons)?

Brandon Gillichbauer (vocals): The lyrics for “New Measures of Failure,” as well as the album as a whole, are autobiographical and very personal. Probably the most honest I have ever been. There are a few illusions to other people in my life but the overall context is focused on my personal issues, both mentally, struggles with substance abuse, as well as acceptance of who I was and in some way will always sorta be.

The trumpet on “Ren” is unexpected, to say the least. Whose idea was that?

Scott Turner (guitar): That was me. From the get go I always wanted that section of “Ren” to have this almost sort of noir-vibe to it. I think from the moment that part of the song was fleshed out I could hear the trumpet in my head over it. Jackson has a treasure trove of musically inclined friends and suggested his buddy Brian Mellblom for the part. If I remember correctly, my only directions for Jackson to relay to Brian was that we wanted it to sound like Beirut… otherwise, Brian was free to create as he saw fit. He came to record the part without us ever having played together, or hearing it, and needless to say we were so happy with how it turned out.

Many of the songs have a multilayered, almost cinematic quality. Is film an influence on the band, and if so, anything specific?

Jason Grissinger: For me, not cinematic, but I really like melodic bass lines that have an emotionally driven feeling to them that aren’t just follow the guitar riff. I think on some of the songs off the album, that almost gives it a “cinematic” feel in a way and it’s different from previous Black Sheep Wall albums. These songs really take you on an emotional journey from start to finish because they have more depth and sonic texture throughout this album. I think “Prayer Sheet for Wound and Nail” and “Ren” really highlight this feeling.

Jackson Thompson: Film isn’t a conscious or intentional influence, but it’s there regardless. I consider film my personal favorite art form and I think many movies have challenged and changed the way I’ve thought about music, which is the only medium I participate in with any degree of seriousness. We have some song titles that are references to movies and whatnot, so they’ve made their way in there for sure. The following has left an impression on me in the way that I (and I think we) approach music:

· The playing with expectations of David Lynch. He uses clichés and turns them upside down to create something unique and completely unexpected.

· The bleakness and (what I consider) intentional boredom of Michael Haneke films.

· The sarcasm and self-reference of Lars Von Trier.

· The intersection of relationships and selfishness found in most of Paul Thomas Anderson’s work.

Brandon Gillichbauer: As far as lyrically goes, no… at least not intentionally. Film is a huge part of my life and I would be naive to think for as much as I love, respect, and admire film that it hasn’t rubbed off on me in some unconscious way.

What are the band’s plans for 2021 and beyond?

Juan Hernandez Cruz (bass): Hopefully when things start to get back to some type of normalcy after COVID, it would be great to start playing shows again. That’s definitely the missing component for this release and hopefully that will be corrected in time. Beyond is a good question better left in suspense. Keeps you on your toes.

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Songs for the Enamel Queen releases February 26th via Silent Pendulum Records.

Wenches: Loud, Belligerent, and “Effin’ Gnarly” (Early Album Stream)

Chris Rowella — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 20:00:54 +0000

In a world where youth—and perhaps more crucially, the idea of youth—has been fully commodified and monetized, the notion of dangerous, subversive rock and roll seems downright quaint. Nobody’s parents are banning rock albums from the house; especially not when Johnny’s YouTube reaction videos are paying the mortgage. Still, some of that original spirit continues to seep down through the generations, curdling the stale beer and dirt weed on the floors of dank practice spaces the world over. It burns a little brighter in Bloomington IN, the little big town that Wenches call home. See for yourself with our premiere:

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Effin' Gnarly by WENCHES

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An amalgam of local punk and metal acts, Wenches live in the same fun, loud, obnoxious sonic neighborhood as Lecherous Gaze and Nashville Pussy. Their full-length debut, Effin’ Gnarly, is exactly that: all rough edges, go-for-broke pacing, and little regard for convention. Opener “Mama, Wake Up” kicks the door in with a Nugent-worthy riff and foot stomping groove before scaling back to a “Shout!”-style buildup to rouse the titular mama from a drunken stupor on the floor. “Truck Stop Tank Top” and “Bad Man” deliver a few quick shots of Motor City madness straight from the MC5 Rock Academy, which leads to a pitch-perfect cover of AC/DC’s “What’s Next To The Moon”.

It would be easy for Effin’ Gnarly to lose steam after a breakneck side A, but the energy level never dips. The back half of the album includes the manic “Break Up To Make Up” and monster groove of “Slip Slidin'”, and lets off the gas just a tad on closing track “100,000 Years” if only to show off a Don Brewer-style drum solo and confirm that yes, Wenches has the talent to back up the passion. With James Plotkin (Pelican, Earth, ISIS [the band]) on mastering duties, the album is crystal clear without sacrificing the inherent grit a band like this needs. Because Wenches go where a lot of rock bands don’t anymore: into the streets, smashing bottles, irreverent and free.

Check out an interview with James (vocals) and Jarod (guitar) below.

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The songs on this album crackles with live energy. How was Effin’ Gnarly recorded?

James: I’m stoked to hear you say that since we did actually record the skeletal tracks ‘live’ in the studio at Russian. The engineer, Mike Bridavsky, is very good at what he does and I’ve worked with him numerous times. His studio is one of the best in the Midwest and I’m so happy we recorded all of the instruments there. The way the band was set up still allowed for everyone to vibe off of each other and I thought they totally ripped it. I ended up recording the vocals at my studio because I can be a bit meticulous about how I sound. Of course, also having James Plotkin master the whole thing was just the icing on the cake, so to speak. I would never consider going to anyone else.

Is “What’s Next To The Moon” a collective AC/DC favorite, or was there other reasons you wanted to cover it?

James: When Jarod and I started the band we talked about how we could mix in the influences we had from the punk and hardcore records we loved like Antioch Arrow and Portraits of Past with bands like ZZ Top and really early AC/DC. I think we knew right away that we wanted to cover a Bon Scott-era song and I think we picked 3 songs to choose from and the whole band collectively settled on What’s Next To The Moon. Those Bon Scott albums are definitely some of the greatest rock n’ roll records to have ever existed.

Jarod: That song is sick, why wouldn’t we cover it?

There is a lot of the old-school upper Midwest/Detroit music scene in Wenches’ sound. What bands do you consider influences, and who currently would you think of as peers?

James: The motor city sound is and has always been an inspiration to me. Of course, The Stooges and MC5 go without saying, but for me it’s actually Motown, aka Hitsville, USA. I’m a huge fan of Motown records and soul artists from Detroit like Jackie Wilson and Stevie Wonder. When we started I wanted WENCHES to have that gritty soulful rock n’ roll blues sound with a punk and metal twist, if you know what I mean.

Jarod: If I were to name some principal northern Midwest influences they would be Death, The Gories, Negative Approach, Sam Cooke, Thoughts of Ionesco, Stooges, MC5, Prime Movers, Dead Boys (Cleveland), and Bob Seger. I hate to say it, but even The Nuge has some killer riffs, though I’m not a huge fan of him or his music overall – just his guitar playing. Aside from musical influences though, I’d say the riffs are more conjured from the same thing those bands were influenced by. Being from Fort Wayne Indiana, a northern rust belt factory city, I think it’s just something that feels natural. The upper Midwest is full of poor blue collar families with overworked pissed off dads and tough mothers that raise their kids a little rough and gritty. Many old generations migrated from Appalachia, and have backgrounds in bluegrass, blues, and gospel and then passed that along to their kids. Really, I just want to create music that makes my deadbeat father roll over in his grave.

Who is “Break Up To Make Up” about?

James: That song isn’t really about one person in particular. It’s about all of the collective exes that play “mind games” that most of us have been familiar with at some point in our lives, I’m sure. You know how early in the relationship you get into arguments and then the making up part can be so romantic and fun, right? Well, what if that becomes all you have and the real attraction just revolves around that twisted ritual that keeps you together? That’s not too healthy and eventually somebody is just gonna snap and end it. The freak out part of the song in the middle with all of the voices is that moment of losing it just before snapping. It’s a really fun song to play live. Though I’m sure the crowd thinks I seem a bit crazed out which, I guess I am.

How is Wenches managing the pandemic, and what are the band’s plans once it has passed?

James: We are sitting tight for the most part and being as patient as we can. We’re trying to get everything lined up to hit it hard as soon as we can get back together. We can’t wait to play as many shows as possible and write some new music. The time away has definitely been trying but also inspiring and we are itching to reunite so we can effin’ rock again!

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Effin’ Gnarly releases February 26th, 2021 via Master Kontrol Audio.

Drift Away in The Twilight Fuzz of Spelljammer’s “Lake” (Music Video Premiere + Interview)

Chris Rowella — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 20:00:55 +0000

Returning from a five-plus year hiatus, Stockholm’s Spelljammer make quick work to show their dominance in a stoner/doom/fuzz scene that grows more crowded by the year. The band’s new full-length Abyssal Trip—out this month via RidingEasy Records—is a holy mountain of riffs, thunderhorse rhythms and tune-in-drop-out vibes. Comparisons to fellow countrymen Monolord are unsurprising, but Spelljammer are their own entity; there is an aggressive, abrasive edge to some of their songs that give them a bit more bite. Nowhere is that more apparent than on the new album’s second track, “Lake”, the video for which we’re premiering here.

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A hard-driving, sludgy opening more reminiscent of -16- than Sleep eventually gives way to some psychedelic overtones and one of those aforementioned monster riffs, while the unsettling and dizzying footage of a woman in a Hannya mask spins and whirls. It’s simple, effective, and creepy; something you might see playing on a screen when you stumble into a Takashi Miike movie. “Lake” is also representative of Abyssal Trip as a whole. The band balances light and heavy almost equally, with sparse interludes of clean instrumentation interspersed among the crushing doom of each track. That might not be an instant hook for some, but subsequent listens reveal some truly special moments that should solidify Spelljammer as the real deal.

Check out a Q&A with vocalist/guitarist Niklas Olsson below.

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Was the recording break since 2015’s Ancient Of Days intentional, or did the new material take time to form?

I would say both. After the release of Ancient of Days we didn’t write anything new for a while and instead focused on playing live both locally and also doing some touring. We slowly started working on some new material around a year later. Writing new songs is a slow process for us so there were some songs that were tossed along the way, for different reasons. We recorded Abyssal Trip in the summer of 2019 and the plan was to have it ready for a winter release that year. But, as always, things take longer than expected so here we are and it’s already 2021.

You recorded Abyssal Trip in a house rather than the studio. Do you think that had a positive effect on the process, and on the band yourselves?

All of the songs were already finished, but I do think it affected the outcome of the recording. We spent a weekend in the house and it was a very relaxed atmosphere. I think we feel we play better when no one else is around to listen, comment or make suggestions. Don’t get me wrong, having a good producer or engineer around is also really good. But we felt very comfortable being just the three of us, at least this time. Perhaps we will return to a studio for the next one.

The lyrical themes on the album are bleak but somewhat hopeful; does that reflect your own views on the world? Do the lyrics impact the music, or vice versa?

Well, the lyrics always come last so they’re always impacted by the music I guess. I suppose they are pretty bleak and I think it would be easy to be a pessimist these days. But deep down I’m more of an optimist really. I mean, there are definitely parts of the lyrics that have some personal connection to myself, but not nearly enough for me to suggest they reflect my view of the world. That being said, I think darkness is more interesting to write about. And there is no shortage of that with the pandemic, climate change, and on top of that, right-wing politics on the rise.

What bands and artists outside the heavy metal spectrum would you say are an influence on Spelljammer? Are there non-musical influences on the band, like film, art or literature?

I think all three of us draw a lot of inspiration from outside of the heavy metal spectrum. We share a lot of them but also bring our own influences to the mix. If I had to name just a few of my own it would probably be Pink Floyd and Peter Gabriel along with a lot of movie composers, like Nick Cave & Warren Ellis, Brad Fiedel, John Carpenter, and Vangelis among others. When writing ’Ancient of Days’ I was really into the poem (though it’s the length of a book) ’Aniara’ by Harry Martinson. I also draw a lot of inspiration from William Blake, especially for that album. Both Robert and I are also big fans of David Lynch, and a lot of our music probably stems from his movies.

What are Spelljammer’s future plans, once this pandemic is over?

That’s a good question. We haven’t had a band practice since last March, so we’re looking forward to that. We all miss playing together.

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Abyssal Trip releases February 26th, 2021 via RidingEasy Records.

The Powerfully Psychedelic Sonic Flower “Rides Again” (Early Album Stream + Q&A)

Chris Rowella — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 19:00:08 +0000

If the cottage industry of 1970s worship in hard rock and metal ever needs an official ambassador, Tatsu Mikami should be in serious contention. As the founder and sole constant member of Japanese boogie-doom gods Church Of Misery, his track record stretches over two decades and includes certified bangers like The Second Coming and Houses Of The Unholy, among others. Mikami’s other projects are no slouches either; there’s the Motorhead-tinged metal of Skull Pit, the thrashing punk of G.A.T.E.S., and the most Church of Misery-adjacent of them all, Sonic Flower.

Composed almost entirely of current or former Church Of Misery members, Sonic Flower was essentially a looser, instrumental version of their main gig. The first EP quickly established the template: punchy, swaggering riffs coupled to Keisuke Fukawa’s monster slabs of Bonham-inspired drumming. After recording Church of Misery’s The Second Coming, Mikami reassembled Sonic Flower and laid down the tracks for Rides Again, streaming here in full.

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After running into some personnel issues leading to Sonic Flower’s breakup in 2005, Rides Again was shelved until now. It’s a natural progression from the debut, retaining the singular, crackling live energy and expanding each member’s role. Mikami shows off his solo abilities during an extended bass break in “Captain Frost” while guitarists Arisa and Takenori Hoshi duel and synchronize with equal aplomb throughout “Black Sheep” and “Quicksand Planet”. The laid back nature of the music doesn’t apply to the musicianship; for a genre known to excuse sloppy playing with ‘it’s just a vibe, man’ platitudes, there’s nary a sour note or careless moment to be found.

One of Rides Again‘s most interesting aspects is the choice of covers: “Stay Away”, originally by the Meters, and Graham Central Station’s “Earthquake”, two of the funkiest songs you might ever encounter outside of a Parliament record. They end up working perfectly within Sonic Flower’s wheelhouse, complementing the band’s innate swinging grooves and improvisational nature. “Earthquake” is an especially entertaining jam to end the album on, as it allows all four musicians to stretch their legs and have some fun. Not that there was ever a chance of no fun being had on Rides Again: this is the kind of record you’ll want to blast at the first post-COVID party you attend. Listen to the exclusive pre-release stream of Rides Again (linked above) and read an interview with Tatsu Mikami below.

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After such a long hiatus, was there a specific reason you decided to resurrect Sonic Flower?

Everything was a coincidence. It was 2014. I was depressed in the dark. Because three members have left Church of Misery. At that time, I was contacted by a drummer for the first time in about 10 years. After recording for “Rides Again”, He and I were in a quarrel and were cut off. He apologized to me and said he wanted to band with me again. At that time, Church of Misery’s new guitarist ( in 2015,,, previous one ) was interested in Sonic Flower too and he decided to play on both. And the first Church of Misery vocalist Kazuhiro Asaeda who resumed for the first time in 20 years will participate and it has revived. I was always making new songs for Sonic Flower, so when I restarted I had one album in stock.

Did you re-record or make any other changes to Rides Again before its release?

No. First, I want to tell you that Rides Again is old material. This is not a new album. It’s just unreleased studio recording material in 2005.

Were both the self-titled and Rides Again recorded live? The production on the first album sounds a bit more streamlined, but they both have a raw, live energy.

It’s almost live. Except guitar solos, we recorded live. I mean that four members are playing together at the recording studio. And.. yeah, it’s raw with a live concert feeling.

The Meters and Graham Central Station are probably not as well known to doom and psych fans as the bands you’ve covered with Church Of Misery. Was that a conscious decision, or did you just want to play some really funky jams?

To tell the truth I also didn’t know these bands [laughs]. Our drummer Keisuke’s choice. His musical orientation is very wide. He recommended us these funky music. I think it’s fancy but it’s heavy with good riffs. At this recording rehearsal, I chose two songs – Groundhogs and Savoy Brown. We practice both songs. But we choose two funky songs for recording. We thought it was surprising and interesting.

Kazuhiro Asaeda, Church Of Misery’s original singer, has now joined Sonic Flower. What compelled you to add vocals to the band moving forward?

I like his voice and melody which he made. I’m very satisfied with his vocals when we made Church of Misery’s Vol. 1 album in 1996. After some gigs, I and he had a fight and didn’t talk for almost 18 years and we cut off each contact. In 2014, Coincidentally our mutual friends attracted us. We reconciled and returned to drinking together. At that time, I thought that if this band had his vocals, the range of expression would expand even more strongly. I’m playing together now, but my guess is correct. Undoubtedly his vocals made the band even more powerful.

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Rides Again releases January 29th on Heavy Psych Records.

Check out Invisible Oranges’ curated collection on the BrooklynVegan shop.

Chris Rowella’s Top Albums of 2020

Chris Rowella — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 21:00:23 +0000

This is usually the one spot on Invisible Oranges where I drop the “no first person narrative!” journalism rule I have imposed on myself and discuss the previous year, in regards to heavy music and sometimes the world at large. Well, a funny thing happened on the way to lockdown isolation… I’m quite sure 2020 will be discussed in countless, intangible ways for decades to come. I’ll try to keep it about the music, which did not disappoint (does it ever, really?). Despite listening to fewer new albums than I ever have before, there was a lot to love. This year was a good opportunity to dig deep and discover lost gems, or find new favorites you didn’t even know you needed (thank you, Thundercat). New acts with something to prove came charging out of the gate, while a few old masters showed that they still have it. Some of our legends went to the great gig in the sky, another reminder that time marches on, pandemic or not. The good folks behind Two Minutes To Late Night and Anthrax/S.O.D. drummer Charlie Benante kept us entertained with two respective series of fun, collaborative covers jams. Could circumstances be better? Of course. But they could also be much worse. Music saves.
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Honorable Mentions:
20. Lowrider – Refractions (Blues Funeral, USA) 19. Haunt – Mind Freeze (Shadow Kingdom, USA) 18. Brant Bjork – Brant Bjork (Heavy Psych Sounds, USA) 17. Like Rats – Death Monolith (Hibernation, USA) 16. Fotocrime – South Of Heaven (Profound Lore, USA) 15. Freeways – True Bearings (Temple Of Mystery, Canada) 14. Xibalba – Años en Infierno (Southern Lord, USA) 13. Barghest – Altars Of Rot (Independent, USA) 12. Sons Of Otis – Isolation (Totem Cat, Canada) 11. Blue Oyster Cult – The Symbol Remains (Frontiers, USA)

Armored Saint – “Punching The Sky”

(Metal Blade, USA)

Like a number of peers in their particular age range, LA metal institution Armored Saint don’t have to keep creating new music. They could easily cruise by on their stellar early catalog, play an occasional tour for some cash, and call it a day. Luckily for us, that isn’t the case. With Punching The Sky, their eighth full-length, “the Saint” demonstrate how to make accessible, mainstream heavy metal without devolving into cliche and cringe. Big festival-ready hooks, John Bush’s superior, soaring vocals, and a well-oiled songwriting machine cranking out instant hits like “Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants” and “Missile To Gun” are just the beginning of another solid era for a band that has earned every bit of praise, and deserves much more.

Listen here.

-16- – “Dream Squasher”

(Relapse, USA)

Coming in with the perhaps the most prescient album title of the year, -16- continue a dominating second wave of their long career. There’s plenty of the acidic, noisy sludge we’ve come to expect, as well as a few ventures outside the band’s gnarled comfort zone. On “Sadlands,” guitarist/sole remaining original member Bobby Ferry steps up to the mic for honest-to-Ra clean vocals, and it will make you wonder why he hasn’t done it sooner. The bluesy dirge is just one highlight of many on Dream Squasher, the best ugly music for some ugly times.

Listen here.

Necrot – “Mortal”

(Tankcrimes, USA)

What’s left to say? Death metal doesn’t get much better than this.

Listen here.

Ilsa – “Preyer”

(Relapse, USA)

Calling an underground metal band “underrated” is somewhat contrived at this point. Still, it’s an apt descriptor for DC’s Ilsa. They’ve been churning out solid, interesting death/doom for over a decade, and it continues on Preyer. Not so much a concept album as it is a reflection on the life, trial and aftermath of Satanic murderer Sean Sellers, Preyer churns, hammers and crushes throughout its runtime. The band’s new three-guitar attack creates a monolithic wall of riffs that turn songs like “Scavengers” and “Lady Diamond” into towering pillars of heavy. Put some respect on Ilsa’s name, damnit.

Listen here.

Napalm Death – “Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism”

(Century Media, United Kingdom)

What other genre founders, almost 40 years in, are still putting out vital and inventive music in that same genre? Albums that are just as good—or better – than any of the bands that followed in their wake? Napalm Death have been a grindcore gold standard this long for a reason, and Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism is just another fast and furious validation. While they trade some of their fastest blasts in for more of the no wave and art rock influence they’ve always toyed with — closer “A Bellyful Of Salt And Spleen” has been a lightning rod — it does nothing to lessen the visceral, biting aural devastation that they do so well.

Listen here.

Today Is The Day – “No Good To Anyone”

(The End, USA)

Maybe I missed it, but No Good To Anyone seems to have been completely left out of the 2020 metal discourse. That’s a damn shame, because the emotional heft of this thing is palpable. Steve Austin has gone through some serious shit since 2014’s Animal Mother — a bad car crash, misdiagnosed injuries, contracting the Lyme’s Disease that killed his dog — and it culminates on the unsettling, acerbic tracks contained here. It’s an angry album, but it’s a focused and controlled anger; “subtle” isn’t the correct word, but the strongest emotions are definitely found in the spaces between the blasts of “Burn In Hell” and the sorrowful acoustics of “Callie”.

Listen here.

Primitive Man – “Immersion”

(Relapse, USA)

Shall I compare thee to a dying star?
Thou art more heavy and more brutal:
Rough riffs do shake the darling speakers of Yamaha,
And earbud’s lease hath all too short a breaking point

Listen here.

Beggar – “Compelled To Repeat”

(APF, United Kingdom)

An absolute juggernaut of a debut. If you truly want to lean into every negative, fucked up instinct this shitshow of a year has thrown at us, Compelled To Repeat is the perfect soundtrack to destroying everything within reach. An endless supply of heavy as hell riffs, sandpaper vocals and a rhythm section that hits like a hundred hammers, whilst somehow also finding room to groove and rip the occasional epic solo. No two songs sound quite the same, aside from C.M. Davis’ trusty howls. The heaviness of Dopethrone, the haunted melodies of Acid Bath, the caustic wit and metier of Eyehategod: it’s all here, and it’s glorious.

Listen here.

Sweven – “The Eternal Resonance”

(Van, Sweden)

Morbus Chron is dead, long live Sweven. While we rightfully mourned the demise of the former, their spirit lives on in vocalist/guitarist/now-bassist Robert Andersson’s new venture. Fully embracing the progressive death metal of his previous project, The Eternal Resonance is also shot through with melancholy and mourning. The lyrical themes and soft instrumental moments provide a counterpoint to the jazzy Cynic-isms and Steer-worthy melodeath solos. Comparisons to later Carcass and Death are apt, but there’s even more personal depth to what Sweven are doing here. Like all the best albums, there are new layers to discover with each listen.

Listen here.

Hum – “Inlet”

(Earth Analog, USA)

I can’t remember the last album I bought without hearing a note of it beforehand. (Brain: sure you can, it was St. Anger. Me: go away.) Inlet broke that streak; even though all the tracks were right there on Bandcamp, ready to turn up to 11, I made sure to purchase it first, if only to confirm that it was real. Much like Quicksand’s Interiors (not so coincidentally my #1 album of 2017) Hum stick to what made them such a compelling act in their Nineties heyday: strong songwriting, layers and layers of spaced-out guitars, and Matt Talbott’s comforting, singular voice. Inlet feels like wearing an old hoodie; the first few seconds of “Waves” is a familiar and welcoming sensation. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug, and one I try to avoid overindulging, but come on: fifteen seconds into “Step Into You” and I’m 14 again with the world and the future laid out sparkling in front of me. All bets are off this year anyway, so love what you love as hard as you can.

Listen here.