…haunted by the shadows: SubRosa – ‘More Constant han the Gods’

Following a two-year hiatus Salt Lake City’s SubRosa have resurfaced with the intact core lineup of Rebecca Vernon, Sarah Pendleton, and Kim Pack along with the addition of a new rhythm section consisting of bassist Christian Creek and Andy Patterson on Drums. 2011’s sublime ‘No Help for the Mighty Ones’ was a doomy, post-apocalyptic journey that was equal parts beauty and despair. For the band’s latest, ‘More Constant Than the Gods’, SubRosa have retained their otherworldly, atmospheric approach, though the soundscapes have a heightened nightmarish quality as if awaking from a dream only to realize what was tangible in sleep is disappointingly ungraspable in wakefulness. The balance and ultimate collapse between yearning and disenchantment provides a surreal tension for the duration of the band’s latest.

From the beginning, what has separated SubRosa from other acts is the band’s tasteful use of violin. The addition of a second violinist for their second full-length, ‘No Help for the Mighty Ones’, helped to elevate the band’s overall sound to soaring new heights that effortlessly shifted from majestic ebbs-and-flows to melancholic, dirge-like meditations that were simply unattained on the band’s initial outings ‘The Worm Has Turned’ demo and ‘Strega’. Together, Pendleton and Pack have helped to transform SubRosa into the hauntingly beautiful entity that it is today. With ‘More Constant Than the Gods’ the violin duo take on an even more atmospheric role by providing a darker, more claustrophobic backdrop for Rebecca Vernon’s voice and guitar to enact her shadowy, esoteric tales of death, doom, and decay which is best represented by the dizzying, phantasmagorical din of album highlight “Fat of the Ram”. This nightmarish journey heaves and swells around the unmistakable guitar tone and vocals of Vernon who manages to exude glimmers of light as well as casting impenetrable shadows—a duality that SubRosa has managed capture perfectly on their latest release.

The six tracks of ‘More Constant Than the Gods’ have been painstakingly composed and each one flows as a unique eddy amidst the tumultuous current of the album. “Cosey Mo”, perhaps the most straight-forward track of the release, is most representative of the sound attained on ‘No Help for the Mighty Ones’. Similar to “Borrowed Time, Borrowed Eyes” in both sound and structure, “Cosey Mo” is carried by the distinct, heavy riffs of Vernon with the violins serving a similar accenting role. Not only has SubRosa released a darker album, but they have pushed their boundaries into new and exciting territories. While the final track, “No Safe Harbor”, is the “softest” tune to be found on the album it is arguably the most interesting musically. Melancholic piano opens the track and is eventually joined by flute. Initially, what really elevates this track above being a mere diversion is the vocals and lyrics of Vernon who is eventually joined by Pack and Pendleton to stunning effect. As the track progresses the melancholia gives way to paranoia, torment, and defiant sacrifice with the inclusion of electric guitar, cello, tortured violins, and hammered dulcimer. What began as an ode of adoration, “For you I would give up mountains of gold/And possessions untold, health of body and of soul” turns woefully sour with the lines “A perfect mirror tells no lies/That's why I shattered you/The truest mirror in my life”. Amidst the collection of haunting tales, “No Safe Harbor” is perhaps the most persistent and indelible of the lot.

Whether it was the break following the demise of the band in 2011 or simply the logical trajectory following the release of ‘No Help for the Mighty Ones’ that is ultimately responsible for the darker, more expansive sound of the newly invigorated SubRosa is uncertain. Regardless of the reasoning, the band has crafted an ominous, heart-rending release that sticks with the listener long after the album has stopped playing. While ‘No Help for the Mighty Ones’ was initially more gratifying and straight-forward—a relative concept as far as SubRosa is concerned—‘More Constant Than the Gods’ is a worthy successor of unparalleled depth that makes this one of the year’s finest albums.

Words: Steve Miller
(Originally published at Temple of Perdition)

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…watch out for the reaper: NYMF – ‘From the Dark’

With alchemical precision Sweden’s NYMF has managed to distill a potent elixir of stoner metal, doom, and thrash with minute traces of death metal for their second full-length album ‘From the Dark’. This curious, multi-headed beast of an album may sound as if it is composed of incongruous elements, but the band largely manages to weave the disparate styles into a cohesive whole while also including a fair share of hooks. Filthy distortion, occasional double kick drums, and wide-ranging vocals are threaded throughout the thirteen tracks that comprise ‘From the Dark’, all of which are mortared together on a foundation of downbeat stoner rock.

Composed of veterans of the Swedish rock and metal scenes, most notably The Graviators, NYMF’s sophomore outing is, at times, filled with familiar elements, particularly the vocals of Niklas Sjöberg. Though his approach used with the 70’s influenced hard rock of The Graviators is still ever present, Sjöberg often ventures into grittier territory with a gravelly intonation and even moderately harsh vocals as found on the album’s standout second track, “Fear of the Doom”.

‘From the Dark’ is, essentially, an interesting journey through some of the musicians’ favorite genres of music. It would seem as if anything from the past forty-or-so years of hard rock and metal is fair game as long as it is has a dark and evil edge to it. If nothing else, ‘From the Dark’ exists as an interesting stylistic experiment that is as gratifying as it is puzzling. Despite any disparities, the album is held together with a killer guitar tone, some excellent vocal melodies, and an overall mood that dwells on the darker side of the spectrum.

Words: Steve Miller
(Originally published at Temple of Perdition)

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…Fall to your knees: IRON MAN – ‘South of the Earth’

From the destructive, groove-laden riff that tears open the title track from Iron Man’s latest, ‘South of the Earth’, to the piano fadeout of “The Ballad of Ray Garraty” the band makes it clear that their sole mission is the complete and utter obliteration of the sonically weak. With the addition of Screaming Mad Dee behind the mic and Mot Waldmann on drums the reinvigorated Iron Man continues to make good on the promise intimated on their ‘Att hålla dig over’ EP by crafting devastatingly heavy, adrenalized doom . Not to diminish the influence of Iron Man founder and sole original member, Al Morris III, the man is a seemingly never-ending chasm of riffs, but it seems as if Iron Man is finally the sum of its parts.

While past incarnations of the band have released some stone cold classics, particularly ‘The Passage’ and ‘Generation Void’, the contributions of Dee and Waldmann cannot be denied. At the center of previous Iron Man releases was the unmistakable riff-slinging tone and groove of Morris III and everything else—vocals, drums, and bass seemed to be either supportive or incidental. Don’t be mistaken, Iron Man has always boasted excellent vocalists and supporting musicians, particularly Dan Michalak’s vocals which worked flawlessly with the doomier side of the band, and Gary Isom’s drumming on ‘The Passage’ is nothing short of top-notch, but the current lineup is the perfect storm of musicianship and personality.

Screaming Mad Dee is nothing short of a wailing banshee possessing both the dynamic range and power to match the heft of Morris III’s riffs, the pulsating, funky pop of Louis Strachan’s basslines, and the thunderous timing of Waldmann’s drums. ‘South of the Earth’ is an incredibly well-balanced album allowing the individual players to standout and shine. Lyrically, ‘South of the Earth’ is mired in tales of betrayal, madness, misery, and woe without failing to acknowledge the darkness that lies beyond the realm of men with tunes like “IISOEO (The Day of the Beast)” and “Half-Face/Thy Brother’s Keeper (Dunwich pt. 2)”. With Dee penning the lyrics, Iron Man is a darker, grimmer beast grappling with real world adversity and struggling against the supernatural forces from beyond.

Iron Man’s latest incarnation has taken the band to new heights both musically and thematically. Production-wise ‘South of the Earth’ is flawless—heft is equally balanced with clarity and every member’s contributions are essential to the end product. While Iron Man is still rooted in upbeat, mid-to-faster paced doom, ‘South of the Earth’ also incorporates more straightforward elements of hard rock and metal. There may be those who lament the subtle shift from the heavy doom that Iron Man has traditionally dealt out, but the band’s current lineup is a force to be reckoned with as ‘South of the Earth’ achieves its weight from a solid collective effort—another worthy addition to the Iron Man discography.

Words: Steve Miller
(Originally published at Temple of Perdition)

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…Ashes to ashes: UZALA – ‘Tales of Blood & Fire’

With five tracks examining the historic and folkloric wickedness of human nature, Uzala has triumphantly returned with their aptly titled second full-length album, ‘Tales of Blood & Fire’. Last year’s excellent self-titled debut was a murky, atmospheric journey to the dark side, occasionally blackened by the berserker howls of vocalist/guitarist Chad Remains. The remainder of the album, despite the melancholic tunes and hazy production, was given to moments of shimmering beauty due to the juxtaposing vocals of Darcy Nutt radiating from deep within the whirlwind of wah pedal abuse and distortion. For the recording of their sophomore effort the band recruited the inimitable Tad Doyle and his Witch Ape Studio which, in the end, has yielded a clearer, heavier album without completely sacrificing the dark moods and bad vibes of its predecessor.

Despite the clarity found on ‘Tales of Blood & Fire’, the album still exhibits a foreboding atmosphere of tension and anxiety that, as Chad has commented, “…works perfectly for many of the songs since the subject matter deals with being hunted, murder, obsession, vengeance, despair, and loss.” Accompanying the cleaner production is the huge, cataclysmic drumming of Chuck Watkins and a redefined focus on Darcy’s vocals. Rather than escaping from amidst the tumult, her vocals are more pronounced, dynamic and, at times, commanding. Also catapulting Darcy to the forefront is the lack of vocal contributions from Chad this time around which, in the end, reigns in the aggression and unpredictability that so satisfyingly jarred the listener midway through their debut. Despite his absence vocally, Chad’s presence is imprinted on the five tracks that comprise ‘Tales of Blood & Fire’ as his guitar is seamlessly entangled with Darcy’s to create earth-rending doom riffs, fuzzed-out walls of distortion, and mesmerizing leads.

What the band has sacrificed in ambient atmospherics they have gained in heft and lumbering aggression without delving into the whiplash frenzy found on either “Fracture” or “Wardrums” from their debut. Though the songs are heavier and the guitars snarl with an angrier tone, the album is still laced with quieter passages of calm psychedelia punctuated by bursts of distortion and Darcy’s ever-engaging vocals. For ‘Tales of Blood & Fire’ the band re-recorded “Burned” from their 7” split with Mala Suerte and it flat-out rocks with a groove unrivalled by anything else on the album. Like with their previous work, Uzala continues to experiment with noise and sonic textures. A rising tide of feedback kicks off the album opener “Seven Veils” and returns for the final track, “Tenement of the Lost”, where it fully engulfs the listener for what is Uzala’s most indulgent foray into the noise-as-aesthetic ideology before devolving into what is arguably their “softest”, most poignant track to date. Without Chuck’s destructive percussion and only the lone, heavily reverbed guitar accompanied by the lingering swell of distorted noise to carry the tune, the focus is placed squarely on Darcy’s wavering vocals—the perfect way to close out the album.

Uzala has crafted a masterful follow-up to their stunning debut by slightly altering their overall sound with a cleaner, weightier production. Despite the added heft and crispness, the album still smolders with a narcotizing burn capable of anesthetizing a woolly mammoth. ‘Tales of Blood & Fire’ is one of the most interesting and immersive albums released this year and with only five tracks and a runtime near the forty-five minute mark the trip ends way too soon. Preorder the album through King of the Monsters Records and, for those who missed it the first time around, look out for the re-release of their self-titled album bundled with the ‘Cataract/Death Masque’ 12” single.

Words: Steve Miller
(Originally published at Temple of Perdition)

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…Isolating the quintessence: WOLVSERPENT – ‘Perigea Antahkarana’

Pushing their way through the spheres of terra, aqua, aer, and ignis and drifting into the void beyond for their Relapse Records debut, Wolvserpent have reimagined, refined, and re-recorded their excellent 2012 demo, ‘Perigaea' (review HERE). The end result, ‘Perigea Antahkarana’, finds the Boise, Idaho duo of Blake Green and Brittany McConnell adding depth and layers to what was already a stunning release. Not simply content to re-record for the sake of attaining a “better” production, the band has, to a degree, altered their demo’s compositions and sequencing for ‘Perigea Antahkarana’, especially on the latter half of the album. As if sensed through precognition or recalled from a sedated sleep-state, moments of ‘Perigea Antahkarana’ are familiar to those who have listened to the demo, but there are still segments constructed from nothing and suffused with the essence of the album’s former incarnation.

Album opener “Threshold:Gateway” is instantly recognizable as “Perigaea I” from the band’s demo. Like its predecessor, this opening track could be a field recording from a windswept wasteland beyond the physical realm. It’s nearly four minutes of contemplation balanced precariously between an uneasy calm and a comfortable tension. At just under the four minute mark—a mere fraction of the album’s runtime—it doesn’t take the listener long to be initiated into Wolvserpent’s explorations of the classical elements of fire, water, air, and earth. Also retaining much of its original form is the album’s second track ‘Within the Light of Fire’. As with the demo version, ‘Within the Light of Fire’ is the bluntest, most overtly abrasive track of the album. The eerie violin tremolo of McConnell opens the track and remains embedded deep within the heart of the song allowing the riffs and guttural wails of Green to writhe from within the conflagration. “In Mirrors of Water” is the calm following the storm, a serene soundscape belied by the mournful strings of McConnell. Here, Wolvserpent have dug deeper into their own composition and have extended the track for an additional ten minutes of music that eventually evolves from a pulsating, kraut-rock drone to a frantic, blackened frenzy.

The remaining two tracks, “A Breath in the Shade of Time” and “Concealed Among the Roots and Soil”, are less recognizable than the first half of the album when compared to the demo. In fact, the songs have been broken down into their base elements, some of which have been removed, and reassembled into two complete, yet new, wholes. In almost every instance Wolvserpent has refined and improved their compositions, but it is lamentable that what was once “Perigaea IV” was so drastically broken down and reassembled, losing the sublime, transcendent beauty of the track’s ambient intro. Despite the vast difference “A Breath in the Shade of Time” is still a stellar tune, and the differences merely contribute to the vitality and replay value of the ‘Perigaea’ demo. Album closer “Concealed Among the Roots and Soil” borrows elements from the final two tracks of the demo and ultimately brings the listener round full circle to the cawing crows and crackling fire of “Threshold:Gateway” thus ending the listener’s journey.

In almost every respect ‘Perigea Antahkarana’ is an improvement over the seedling that was the ‘Perigaea’ demo. The band’s commitment to perfection has yielded one of the year’s most unique and powerful albums, particularly for travelers seeking dark roads, bad trips, or heady introspection. And while ‘Perigea Antahkarana’ isn’t completely new, the album and the demo offer journeys that are divergent enough to warrant checking out both. Wolvserpent’s latest may not be for everyday listening, but it certainly fills the void that is left untouched by anything lacking the sheer beauty and terror of ‘Perigea Antahkarana’.

Words: Steve Miller
(Originally published at Temple of Perdition)

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…WINDHAND – ‘Soma’

With their highly anticipated second full-length Richmond, Virginia’s Windhand hold fast to the formula firmly established on their ‘Practice Space Demo’ and their self-titled debut, and continue their mission to envelop the listener in an impenetrable wall of distortion thus potentiating narcotic and psychotropic effects. Like its predecessors, ‘Soma’ roars with an earth-churning rumble of seismic proportions that is only partially kept in check by the percussive timing of Ryan Wolfe, Dorthia Cottrell’s wails from within the maelstrom, and occasional fluidic blasts of lead guitar. For the band’s first outing for Relapse Records they stick close to what they know and have released a worthy, if not similar album to their self-titled debut.

With only six tracks and a runtime of well over an hour ‘Soma’ is irrefutably a monster of an album. And while no track quite reaches the heights of self-titled album closer “Winter Sun” the band still manages to craft individual and unique tunes that undulate and writhe with an insufferable heaviness all their own. Though there are similarities to the band’s earlier work, particularly in heft and tone, it would be a mistake to simply label ‘Soma’ as “‘Windhand II’”.

The band has taken a few detours and branched out enough to keep things both vital and interesting. The fourth track, “Evergreen”, is a somber, acoustic number that puts the spotlight completely on Cottrell who also plays guitar on this track. Though “Evergreen” is stylistically out place, it fits right in contextually and offers a brief respite before “Cassock” lays waste to everything in its path. Like a giant trudging its way across the earth, “Cassock” hasn’t a care for who it crushes underfoot by featuring the band’s heaviest, most sinister low-end riffs. The album closes with “Boleskine”, an epic, mesmerizing track that accounts for nearly half of the album’s runtime.

Windhand have ultimately crafted an album on par with their excellent debut, though ‘Soma’ is colder, darker, and heavier. Fans of their earlier work will undoubtedly gravitate toward their newest release and for good reason—tidal waves of distortion, feedback harmonizing, acoustic guitars, and Cottrell’s vocals. ‘Soma’ is uncompromisingly heavy and Windhand have further developed their unique style of doom, albeit incrementally.

Words: Steve Miller
(Originally published at Temple of Perdition)

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…Getting to know Satan: DIRE FATE – ‘Ritual/Rehearsal MMXI’ Demo

Dire Fate first came to my attention earlier this year with their excellent contribution to the split with countrymen and fellow traditional doom cohorts Rote Mare. This little gem, ‘Ritual/Rehearsal MMXI’ demo, though recorded and officially released in 2011 has been given a wider circulation through the band’s official Bandcamp page. Based on their three tracks from the Rote Mare split the bar was set particularly high for the band and, without reservation, I can say that my expectations for their earlier demo recordings weren’t dashed. ‘Ritual/Rehearsal MMXI’ reveals the band’s quest to tread the traditional doom path while incorporating melodicism and a unique, dismal atmosphere—a prerequisite for crafting memorable and enduring doom.

Each of the three tracks of ‘Ritual/Rehearsal MMXI’ are singular exercises in arcane rites emanating dark and foreboding vibes suitable for raising the dead or conversing with demons. “Ah Satan… (Do You Know Him?)” is a Faustian tale of life extended beyond death through the treachery of a pact with the devil. This is straight-up old school doom with enough tempo changes to keep things interesting. Chant-like backing vocals and a tormented cry from the netherworld briefly accent the main vocals of Phillip D. Atropos whose voice is not too dissimilar from Bauhaus’ Peter Murphy. The remaining two tracks, “Cast the Spell” and “Spire of War”, continue the band’s allegiance to the dark arts of doom by spinning tales of near forgotten magic and the invocation of a god-like entity—an entity that should have remained dormant—whose lust for war sows nothing but death and destruction.

‘Ritual/Rehearsal MMXI’ is a killer demo that incorporates the best elements of traditional doom—ominous riffs, expressive vocals, and an unwavering devotion to creating a heavy and foreboding atmosphere through their compositions alone. Fans of traditional doom, particularly in the vein of Rote Mare or Funeral Circle’s self-titled album, won’t be disappointed with Dire Fate’s recently unearthed demo. Hopefully the band is on track for some studio time in the near future because their demo and split contributions are simply not enough.

Words Steve Miller
(Originally published at Temple of Perdition)

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…Come ye faithful, meet thy maker: SAINT VITUS – ‘C.O.D.’

Saint Vitus’ seemingly misunderstood and long out-of-print sixth full-length, ‘C.O.D.’, has finally been dug up, dragged from its grave, and remastered and reanimated with the addition of two lost tracks courtesy of Season of Mist. Maligned by many—including main songwriter Dave Chandler—and revered by few, ‘C.O.D.’ is clearly the black sheep of the Saint Vitus discography, an outlier that has divided fans and critics from its inception. And sure, the one-off effort with Chritus Linderson at the mic is distinguished from the band’s prior work due to a step-up in the production department and a playing time that essentially dwarfs their other releases, ‘C.O.D.’ is nevertheless a masterpiece in its own right and an album whose “failure” ultimately paved the way for the reunion with original vocalist Scott Reagers and the recording of the band’s magnum opus ‘Die Healing’. But make no mistake…‘C.O.D.’ rocks and it rocks fucking hard.

Remastered or not, ‘C.O.D.’ has always sounded great. While the leap in production value from ‘V’ to ‘C.O.D’ is apparent, the band hardly transitioned to a clean, radio-friendly polish. Chandler’s guitar still rips and his solos claw and leave marks all over the album accompanied by Mark Adams’ doom-as-fuck basslines. Probably the most noticeable improvement over the band’s previous albums is the sound of the drums. Acosta’s drums are heavier and more prominent in the mix which lends an unprecedented barbarian heft to the twelve tracks of the album proper. Few bands have so effortlessly transitioned from vocalist-to-vocalist as Saint Vitus and the standalone release featuring Linderson is arguably one of the band’s finest.

With over an hour’s worth of doom-and-gloom ‘C.O.D.’ covers a lot of ground and includes many of Saint Vitus’ most memorable and unique tracks. Following a brief and moody intro is the anthemic call to arms “Children of Doom”. Here Chandler’s guitar bleeds and wails throughout the track while Linderson presides over his flock of lost souls while reciting the riddle of doom. The third track, “Planet of Judgement”, has the lone distinction of being credited to the entire band with words penned by Linderson and Acosta. Not to dismiss the individual songwriting talents of Chandler, but “Planet of Judgement” is easily one of the band’s strongest tracks. The main impact of “Planet of Judgement” not only comes from Chandler’s memorable riffs and mind-bending leads, but also from Linderson’s vocal melodies. The shift from an atonal, riff-following pattern to a forlorn, emotional delivery on the latter half of the track leaves a haunting and indelible impression on the listener. Other greats such as the hard rocker “Shadow of a Skeleton”, the woeful crawl of “Plague of Man”, and the Joy Division-esque “Get Away” have never sounded better.

As an added bonus the reissue of ‘C.O.D.’ includes two bonus tracks, “To Breed a Soldier” and “The Chameleon”. The two tracks, originally recorded as demos for the follow-up to ‘C.O.D.’, give a glimpse into what could have been had things worked out between Chandler, Linderson, and their label at the time. Production-wise the two tracks are understandably rougher than the rest of ‘C.O.D.’ and the vocals of Linderson are more dynamic and consistent with his later work with Lord Vicar and Goatess. Chandler hasn’t missed a beat on these unearthed tracks as he seems to strangle the life from his protesting guitar on the squalling, fuzz-drenched lead of “To Breed a Soldier”. “The Chameleon” is classic, mid-paced Vitus that also features Chandler’s signature wah abuse and the solid rhythm section of Adams and Acosta.

The re-release of ‘C.O.D.’ has been long overdue and Season of Mist has done an amazing job. The inclusion of two bonus tracks simply sweetens the deal. Personal preference in regards to vocalists within the Saint Vitus discography will always be a point of contention, but I find the Chritus-era to be second only to the band’s output with Scott Reagers. It’s too bad that Linderson’s tenure began and ended with ‘C.O.D.’, though his further involvement may have irreversibly altered the band’s trajectory thus depriving the masses of the excellent ‘Die Healing’ album.

Words Steve Miller
(Originally published at Temple of Perdition)

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