…DOOMRAISER / CARONTE – ‘split’

Wielding the war hammer of doom under such battle cries as Heavy Drunken Doom or Slower Harder Drunker it would be easy to jump to the conclusion that Italy’s Doomraiser practices a belligerent and barbaric combination of sludge and doom. Though these two mantras may be a part of the band’s modus operandi Doomraiser is actually firmly rooted in traditional doom metal while pulling in both progressive and psychedelic elements. Up to this point the band has released an amazing trilogy of full-lengths with their second album, 2009’s ‘Erasing the Remembrance’, standing as their crowning achievement. Doomraiser has also put out notable splits with both Earthride and fellow countrymen Midryasi. For their third foray into the realm of split releases Doomraiser has chosen to once again team-up with an Italian-based band, the relative newcomers Caronte. Exceeding the work of their impressive debut, ‘Ascension’, Caronte’s two tracks add a grimy, sinister vibe to the tripped-out trio of tunes.

No strangers to sluggish, heavy compositions Doomraiser’s track, “Dream Killers”, is a twelve minute ode to the band’s past while also shining some light into the shadows to reveal new dimensions to their sound. Displaying their penchant for slow, atmospheric intros—just listen to “Phoenix” from ‘Mountains of Madness’ as an example—“Dream Killers” is a smoldering slow-burn of pulsating bass, eerie synth washes, glockenspiel, and haunting guitar leads. Rather than plunging into a slow-motion doom crawl, Doomraiser defies expectations by launching into an up-tempo rocker. Despite the accelerated pace of “Dream Killers” the band still takes the time to slow things down on a couple of occasions for introspective, mind-bending excursions into hazy, smoke-filled lands.

For their side of the split Caronte chooses to take the left hand path by lending a sinister, fuzz-filled vibe to their two tracks “Back from the Grave” and “Journey into the Moonlight”. With Electric Wizard as a starting point—particularly on “Back from the Grave”—Caronte have crafted a couple of sleazy slabs of stoned-as-fuck doom metal. Wah pedal abuse, organ, dirty riffs, and satanic chants swirl around the distinctive vocals of Dorian Bones whose bellows, at times, resemble the unhinged caterwauling of The Jesus Lizard’s David Yow. With “Back from the Grave” and “Journey into the Moonlight” Caronte have surpassed the tunes that made up their debut, ‘Ascension’, and have provided worthy counterparts to Doomraiser’s “Dream Killers”.

2013 has provided some excellent split releases, most notably Cough and Windhand’s ‘Reflection of the Negative’ and the split between Australian doom masters Rote Mare and Dire Fate. The Doomraiser/Caronte split should feel right at home amongst these other masterpieces as both bands have crafted some killer tunes. Though it appears that Doomraiser has recently undergone a personnel change resulting in what the band has dubbed as the “Drunken Mark III” lineup, they are reportedly working on their fourth full-length. Here’s looking forward to Doomraiser’s continued legacy and new tunes from Caronte…

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…a grand grimoire of compositions and incantations: BLIZARO – ‘Strange Doorways’

Acting as a conduit while in the throes of a hypnotic madness—with seemingly unseeing eyes and actions guided by the all-knowing seers from realms long forgotten—the wizened sorcerer deciphers and channels forbidden knowledge from beyond the macrocosm. With a mastery of the mystical and alchemical spheres of the arcane arts disparate elements are meticulously combined into countless compounds, broken down, and recombined into unfathomable abominations that transcend both space time. Welcome to the wonderful world of Blizaro…

Praise to I, Voidhanger Records for collecting and compiling the elusive demo recordings of Blizaro, the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist and mad composer John Gallo. While not releasing some of the best American doom metal with Orodruin, Gallo has kept busy by crafting…well, pretty much whatever he pleases. With influences ranging from doom and traditional metal, horror soundtracks, Italian prog-rock, organ church music, and Gregorian chants, Gallo has concocted a vast collection of tunes that are both reverential and, at the same time, interestingly new. Throughout the forty tunes that make up ‘Strange Doorways’ the listener will hear glimpses of Black Sabbath, Paul Chain, Goblin, John Carpenter, Tangerine Dream, and Thin Lizzy among a myriad of other notable and influential acts. Despite the often dissimilar and contrasting elements, Gallo seems to pull off the unimaginable by throwing them into the loom that is his mind and miraculously weaving a cohesive sonic tapestry.

The two disc set, ‘Strange Doorways’, compiles the band’s demos in reverse chronology: 2012’s ‘Blak Majicians’, 2009’s ‘The Old Wizard of Winter’, 2008’s ‘Blue Tape’, and 2006’s ‘Horror Rock’, with additional tracks thrown in for good measure. Throughout the span of the forty tracks of ‘Strange Doorways’ the listener is, in the blink of an eye, transported to the uppermost chambers of a wizard’s tower, to the darkest, deepest dungeons of a decrepit old castle, to the desolate wastelands of a cityscape crawling with the undead, or to being shackled to the sacrificial altar of a black mass.

‘Strange Doorways’ defies all logic and is not bound by space, nor is it subject to time. The album, though rooted in the musical genres and traditions of the seventies, branches out to ages long past while simultaneously reaching out toward the present. The instrumental demo ‘The Old Wizard of Winter’, for example, is an organ and synthesizer laden soundtrack filled with homages to seventies Italian cinema with tracks like “Fierce Steps the Troll” as well as an ode to 8th century church services exemplified by the likes of “White Frijid Mass”. It’s also a timeless, hellish journey through the gates of Hell with the sinister vibes of “Portal of Betrayal”.

Blizaro is one of the most uniquely creative bands going today and ‘Strange Doorways’ is a career spanning collection of mad genius at work. With a runtime of two-and-a-half hours, ‘Strange Doorways’ is a massive collection of multi-faceted tunes that avoids easy categorization. Few individuals or bands are able to include such wide-ranging influences into their musical vision without crashing and burning to some degree. Blizaro—through some form of witchery or other—seems to avoid this pitfall. ‘Strange Doorways’ is the perfect name for the album, as each tune is a portal to another time and another place, and each one is seemingly darker and gloomier than the last.

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…turning shadows to flesh: THE WOUNDED KINGS – ‘Consolamentum’

UK doom sovereigns The Wounded Kings have, over the span of several full-lengths and a split with Cough, crafted and channeled some of the most atmospherically heavy doom of the past decade. Through their dark arts the band has revealed the musical accompaniment for seeking forbidden knowledge, plumbing the dimly lit depths of the unknown, or as a soundtrack for performing necromantic rites. Despite some lineup changes and a subtle shift in sound for their excellent 2011 album ‘In the Chapel of the Black Hand’, Steve Mills and The Wounded Kings have persevered and are about to release their fourth album overall and second featuring Sharie Neyland on vocals, the highly anticipated ‘Consolamentum’.

Essentially picking up where ‘In the Chapel of the Black Hand’ left off, ‘Consolamentum’ continues the band’s explorations of dark occult themes, arcane compositions, and oppressively heavy instrumentation. What ‘Consolamentum’ does best is marry the foreboding atmosphere that oozed and radiated from ‘Embrace of the Narrow House’ and ‘The Shadow over Atlantis’ with the dense, slightly more straight-forward doom of ‘In the Chapel of the Black Hand’. The results are stellar and make for one the band’s richest and most rewarding albums to date.

‘Consolamentum’ continues The Wounded Kings’ effective and tasteful use of organ in their compositions and also includes some fantastic guitar solos, particularly on the tracks “Gnosis” and “The Silence”—an element of the band’s music that was arguably in decline on ‘In the Chapel of the Black Hand’. And while their earliest releases relied heavily on a sinister and hypnotic crawl, ‘Consolamentum’ finds the Kings adding an element of groove to their repertoire. The album’s second track, “Lost Bride”, is under the influence of an immensely heavy jam from start to finish and brings to mind the other UK greats, Serpent Venom.

Two of the shortest tracks, the brief instrumentals “Elige Magistrum” and “Space Conqueror”, contribute to the doomed, otherworldly feeling of ‘Consolamentum’ as a whole while adding additional textures. At only a minute-and-a-half “Elige Magistrum” rocks out with heavy riffs, a flanged drum intro, and blistering solos throughout. Conversely, “Space Conqueror” acts as the album’s “Planet Caravan” with its ominous acoustic guitar, muted drums, and undulating bass tones. The tracks avoid the pitfalls of overstaying their welcome and, like the best atmospheric tunes, they successfully add depth to an already killer album.

No easy feat, but ‘Consolamentum’ easily surpasses the achievement that was ‘In the Chapel of the Black Hand’ and is about as perfect as an album can get. Perhaps not as atmospheric as the band’s first two albums, ‘Consolamentum’ is the perfect blend of old and new. Even Sharie Neyland’s commanding, high priestess-like vocals seem more at home amongst the tracks of ‘Consolamentum’ compared to the band’s previous outing. The Wounded Kings have crafted an amazingly heavy album complete with dark themes, psychedelic nuances, and interesting instrumentation. Sure to be one of 2014’s absolute best…

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…you’re as good as dead: WOUNDED GIANT – ‘Lightning Medicine’

Living up to their namesake, Seattle three-piece Wounded Giant drunkenly lopes, staggers, and stumbles with a heavy step through the six tracks that make up their impressive debut, ‘Lightning Medicine’. The band’s debut doesn’t reflect the slow-paced, funereal crawl of a hulking beast in its death-throes, but rather a lumbering, unpredictable brute that when backed into a corner can muster enough energy and aggression to rain down upon his foes with thundering destruction. The six tracks of ‘Lightning Medicine’ are masterfully executed slabs of gritty, down-tempo heavy metal that includes a fair-share of spacey solos and trance-like moments.

Exemplifying the sound of the band and kicking off the album is “King Rawhead”, a trippy slab of metal that probably best showcases the individual talents of the band. Not content to simply crawl forth like a ten-ton snail, “King Rawhead” includes enough variety and changes in tempo to keep the song interesting and barreling forth for its ten minute runtime. What’s really impressive about the opener is the rhythm section, particularly the drums which sound nothing short of massive.

The theme established on “King Rawhead” is continued, in varying degrees of concentration, throughout the remaining five tracks of ‘Lightning Medicine’. If “King Rawhead” was a showcase for heavy, trippy riffs and booming, barbaric percussion, then “The Road to Middian” and “Rats in the Walls” were made for earth-quaking rumbles of bass as a pivotal sonic focus. “Rats in the Walls” includes flashes of sparsely used synths for an ominous and ethereal effect.

The fourth track, “Rabid Starlight”, really serves as a brief, moody atmospheric introduction to the album’s most unique track, “Sinistra”. While “Sinistra” is really no less heavy than any of the other five tracks of the album, it has a calmer, more hypnotic vibe. Closing out the album is the title track, “Lightning Medicine”, another thundering tune that is on par with “King Rawhead” in terms of textures and tempo changes. “Lightning Medicine” may be both the heaviest and catchiest track of the lot and the last three minutes has no shortage of blissed-out guitar leads and wah-damaged bass tones.

Wounded Giant’s ‘Lightning Medicine’ is the perfect balance of heft, sativa-induced psychedelia, and catchy-as-Hell songwriting. The band has honed in on and exploited a sound that walks the fine line between rock, stoner, and doom by recalling some of the greats of yore like the legendary Tad and modern day riff-slingers like Utah, Tombstones, or Goya. Highly recommended listening for laying waste to a small village or seeing your enemies driven before you…

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…forever dead forever stoned: GOYA – ‘777’

With their 2012 demo as a foundation Phoenix, Arizona three-piece Goya have constructed a Sabbathian altar to the heavens which emanates and projects mind-warping waves of distorted bliss and acid-soaked leads into the cosmos with their full-length debut, ‘777’. Not simply a flexing of reverential muscle, ‘777’ brings heft and groove to the forefront resulting in a perfect blend of sludge, doom, and tripped-out stoner metal with no shortage of hooks. And that is what separates Goya from the herd—the hooks. Usually in the form of a catchy guitar lead, but they also come in a well-placed peel of feedback, a vocal melody or lyric, or from the down-tuned, earth-quaking hypnotic tremors of the rhythm section.

‘777’ is instantly a gratifying listen, particularly for those who like their riffs overblown and grimy. “Night Creeps”, one of the strongest tracks of the album and a carryover from the demo, is a fine example of the band’s ability to create or potentiate euphoria through the repetition of fuzzed-out riffs and interstellar guitar leads. The majority of the track is as slothful as a Reverend Bizarre jam, but infinitely more spacious and tripped out. As a whole, if forced, ‘777’ could be labelled “stoner metal”, but the album—and “Night Creeps” in particular—brings a heavy dose of doom to the table.

It should come as no surprise that in addition to a heavy veneration for altered states of conscious Goya imbues the six tracks of ‘777’ with an occult atmosphere both musically and lyrically. With the final track—the aptly titled “Bad Vibes”—Goya adds a misanthropic edge to the proceedings resulting in one of the darkest tracks of the album. Dismiss the tales of raising the dead or the stealing of souls, “Bad Vibes” has nothing but disgust for the human race while upholding a veneration for the Beast.

Goya’s ‘777’ is a fantastic late addition to an already killer year in heavy music. Given the time to stick around and fully sink in it probably would have made several more year-end lists. As it stands ‘777’ is some of the finest sludge and doom influenced metal to be released this year. Despite an obvious debt to Black Sabbath, Goya has embraced the conventions established by their forefathers and have made travelling a well-worn path both interesting and compelling. Goya’s approach to heavy, psychedelic music will likely appeal to fans of Tombstones, Curse the Son, Wounded Giant, and ‘Witchcult Today’ era Electric Wizard.

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…all deities are nothing and dust: GRAVECODE NEBULA – ‘Sempiternal Void’

This past October Denver Doom Fest III steeped the Mile High City in two nights of suffocatingly heavy tunes from bands from around the US and even from the other side of the globe. Each and every band was killer in their own respect, but there was one in particular that plumbed depths so unfathomable and dark that they remained in a league all their own. Salt Lake City’s blackened funeral doom miscreants Gravecode Nebula gave the most harrowing and bleak performance of the festival. Stage presence and musicianship were artfully combined for a maximum effect of creepy atmospherics and nightmare psychedelia. Shortly after the band’s performance they released their full-length debut, ‘Sempiternal Void’, through the Baneful Genesis Records Bandcamp page and, in doing so, have demonstrated their unnatural ability to tune in sinister vibrations from the darkest reaches of the infernal abyss and channel them into a blackened doom cacophony of the highest order.

Perhaps putting their best foot forward ‘Sempiternal Void’ opens with “Bloodcraft of Andromeda”, a maelstrom of wailing guitars, guttural incantations, swirling noise, and occasional blasts of fury—the prime elements from which Gravecode Nebula performs their unholy, cosmic transmutations. “Bloodcraft of Andromeda” is the most textured track of the bunch and includes the most twists and turns. The vocals of The Zodiac—a highlight throughout the entirety of the album—also exhibit the greatest range by effortlessly shifting from hellish death growls, to tortured wails, to deranged gibbering. Easily one of my favorite tracks of the year. Though “Bloodcraft of Andromeda” is arguably the strongest, most serpentine track of the album, “Lunar Dionysian” is a close second by balancing blackened fury with otherworldly atmospherics. Opening with a melancholy lull in what can only be described as wind chimes gently clanging in Hell the majority of “Lunar Dionysian” simply shreds.

With six tracks and a runtime just over the hour mark ‘Sempiternal Void’ is an oppressive experience from start to finish, but despite the long runtime the album always remains engaging, albeit punishing at times. Gravecode Nebula has crafted one of the most interesting albums of the year, an album that is veiled in a seemingly impenetrable, noxious atmosphere. Before the journey ends the closing track, ‘Abhorrent Absorbant (The Salivation of Sand)’, does include sparse moments of undeniable beauty courtesy of tastefully used keyboards and effects. ‘Sempiternal Void’ is a dense album and it takes time to fully grasp it in its entirety, but for those willing to answer the call of the code it’s well worth it. Look for this to be pressed on vinyl in 2014...


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KHEMMIS – ‘Khemmis’ EP

As a late addition to fill the void left by the withdrawal of Fister from Denver Doom Fest III, the Mile High’s own Khemmis impressively kicked things off for night two of the city’s increasingly awe-inspiring music festival. Despite standout performances from the likes of Black Acid Devil, In the Company of Serpents, Dead Temple, and Gravecode Nebula, Khemmis had no problems bringing some of the heaviest tunes of the night to the table and leaving their sonic mark. As a live entity the four-piece was a tight, seismically heavy barrage of psychedelic doom accented with moments of melodicism.

Nearly a month after their performance the band finally released their self-titled EP via Bandcamp and it does not disappoint in the least. Everything that the band displayed live has been captured in the studio. With three killer tracks and a runtime of twenty-three minutes the ‘Khemmis’ EP is, hopefully, a favorable portent of things to come.

“Sunrise/Sunset”, arguably the heaviest track of the collection, crashes out of the gates like an armored sloth ready to wage war: lumbering and lethargic. Amidst feedback slow, bloated riffs roll out like distant thunder and flanged lead guitar turns itself inside-out before the track eases into a mid-paced groove. Clean and sparingly used harsh vocals give the song an added depth and grittiness that complements the sheer weight of the track.

The second tune, “Take the Knife”, is as close to a straight-ahead, sludgy rocker that Khemmis gets. It’s slightly faster paced than the EP opener, but features some great dual guitar harmonies on the latter half of the track and some impressive, heartfelt vocal melodies as well. It’s the perfect way to break up the trio of tunes.

Closing out the EP is the standout track “The Bereaved”, a tune that ups the ante in terms of melodicism. The song’s intro is a slow, somber buildup of drums and clean guitar before the bottom falls out and a distorted wave of bass and guitars crashes down. The track seems to marry the essential elements of “Sunrise/Sunset” and “Take the Knife” into the EP’s defining moment particularly due to the amazing, blissed-out guitar harmonies. A stellar track from start to finish.

Khemmis’ self-titled EP is an exceptional debut that does justice to the band’s live performance and an excellent production job further enhances the listening experience. The band more than adequately balances heft, psychedelia, and melodicism to create their distinctive take on sludge and doom. Fans of Sleep, Black Acid Devil, or even Bardo Pond should give Khemmis a chance. Here’s to looking forward to both more recordings and gigs in 2014…


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…spanning space and time: Bölzer – ‘Aura’ EP

Frantic, angular riffs are strewn about in a seemingly haphazard fashion amidst moments of pure ethereal beauty on the debut EP from Switzerland’s atmospheric blackened death duo Bölzer. ‘Aura’, one of the year’s finest releases, is an example of an album that can offer catharsis in many forms depending on the listener’s mood. At times ‘Aura’ is completely devastating and destructive—a journey to the dark side of the duo’s collective psyche complete with growls and howls belched forth from the chasms of the netherworld accompanied by a sonic onslaught of heavy riffs and percussion. On the other hand, there are moments of sheer atmospheric bliss—unbridled moments coalesce into sweeping anthems that seem capable of spanning both space and time. Regardless of mood ‘Aura’ remains an intense experience from beginning to end.

The opener, “C.M.E.”, is arguably the most intense track of the EP that whips itself into a Dionysian frenzy—a ritual soundtrack whose subjects feverishly offer their servitude to the gods culminating in communal prostration and self-sacrifice by the masses. The second track, “Entranced by the Wolfshook”, rivals “C.M.E.” in intensity, but surpasses the opener in its otherworldly atmospherics. Brief feedback launches into some of the catchiest, most dynamic moments of the album where sky-streaking guitars are hemmed in by coarse, earth-rending riffs. Closing out the EP is “The Great Unifier”, an epic track that plays with furious outbursts and slower, more downtempo moments. While “The Great Unifier” isn’t as immediate or initially striking as the previous tracks, it makes up for it through a prolonged, mid-tempo concentration of force offset by moments of sparse instrumentation.

Not only is ‘Aura’ one of the best releases of the year, but it is also one of the biggest surprises. The duo of HzR (skin decimation) and KzR (X String Flay, Heresy) have crafted an album that, despite a lineage that can be traced back to both black and death metal, defies easy classification. ‘Aura’ is an addictive album and is certainly the most transcendent album to be released this year. With three tracks and a runtime at 23 minutes, “Aura” is simply over too soon, but the band has a couple releases planned for 2014. Bölzer describes that 'Soma', the follow-up EP, “…is intended to complement its predecessor 'Aura' in theme and appearance. The 'spirit'/'body' concept sets a dualistic platform for a cyclic life/death introspective, revolving around war, waged in both the physical and metaphysical spheres.” The duo also reports that their demo, ‘Roman Acupuncture’, is going to get the 12” vinyl treatment as well.

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