I'm really fucking into the production on this Vaguess album, super raw and primitive in its approach to garage punk. The drums sound primordial, the guitars drowned out under a wave of fuzzy surf riffs, and the vocals are as varied and gruff as everything else on this beauty! Expect to hear some sweet synth dudes.
Fast and catchy punk with doses of crust, surf, hardcore and a little something of its own. These San Franciscan punks haven't reinvented the wheel, but they do still hone in on a sound that is fresh and full of the snobby grit I like in my punk. Imagine a mix of Funerot, Hot Snakes, Hoax and earlier Ceremony. Nobody is really talking about these guys which is a shame, if you have the means, spread the good word.
Last night I went to sleep listening to The Body's newest release 'I Shall Die Here', which is probably tantamount to watching a snuff film before going to bed. It fucks you up. It fucks your dreams up, and it ruins your sleep as well as the entire day thereafter.
I'm really digging the sounds on this new album though, which the band has said was meant to be wholly experimental. Thought it's not like The Body's catalogue isn't already entirely experimental in nature anyway. 'I Shall Die Here' is still heavy, terrifying, ominous and warped. Instead of The Assembly of Light Choir we've come to know and love throughout The Body discography, the band recruits The Haxan Cloak to contribute on 'I Shall Die Here', resulting in something more industrial, ambient and nearly cinematic in sound. I don't know why, but it fucking works man. I hope The Body and Death Grips collaborate on the next album. Friggin' rights.
Listen to this, the strongest track on the album… Yes, in my opinion.
Black metal and punk at its most raw have always dipped into qualities that are synonymous with one another; filthy productions, ramen noodle like budget recordings and a certain predilection for hating shit fiercely.
Cape of Bats have been busy these passed few years popping out short releases of relentlessly ugly black metal and punk, which they kindly give us for free or a "name your price" option. Power to them. Some of the riffs on these albums are too good, take the first song 'Stygian Depths" for example, 0:27 in is like a punkier Morbid Insulter(If you haven't yet picked up "Anti-Christ Blasphemies click the goddamn link) riff played a little slower, it's kind of charming in a B-horror movie kinda way.
I hate earwigs man. They burrow in your ear space uninvited and lay
goddamn eggs and piss and shit and fucking exist and give you ear-aches
and probably send out postcards to their earwigs friends with
heartwarming messages like "wish you were here" or "Greetings from
inside Chris' ears" or some shit. I don't know… I've never actually had
any experiences with earwigs, besides killing a lot of them throughout
my life. A lot.
But, this album has been like an earwig
invading my eardrums lately, and it fucking rules. I don't think it's
really laying any eggs or anything, but I wouldn't even mind if it was
ya know? It's really good. Crusty stoner metal with more Sabbath worship
than a goddamn Sunday rolled up with psychedelic doom for good measure.
Formed by the J. Mascis, guitarist of Dinosaur Jr.
Take a listen to it. If you like it and can't find a link or afford the beauty vinyl (sounds best on wax, no shit) email me and I can send it to you pal.
Parisian punk fucks Youth Avoiders have been rad since their demo tape released in 2010, and remain rad with their debut self-titled LP! Fast and frantic punk that is so fucking twangy and trebly you'll think you've got Parkinson's disease. Filled with righteous hooks and melodies despite the raucous song structure, though some of the wicked over-the-top vocal melodies I loved on the demo are gone but I don't give a shit as long as that guitar tone sounds as groovy as it does.
I don't post a whole lot of punk around here, but I am going to start posting more. I like punk, get over it.
I gave a buck towards the "name your price" option on the bands bandcamp page, feel free to do whatever you feel is right or feel free to do nothing until I post a brutal space slam death metal album.
I don't have anything clever to say.
This album is heavier than Chris Farley's bloated corpse.
The blackness of this album is like the inside of a coffin on a moonless night.
Profound Lore though, man does Chris Bruni know hot to pick 'em. Avichi and Artificial Brain also put out albums in 2014 on Profound Lore Records (both are worth checking out), with Impetuous Ritual releasing their sophomore album "Unholy Congregation of Hypocritical Ambivalence". in April.
Grab this, turn it up loud and fuck your ears into early hearing loss.
The only reason this wasn't posted on SHOM before now was only due to an uncharacteristic lack of personal time and slightly less motivation to do so, because Opium Morals is the tits, the cats meow, the beggars hand, the all seeing eye, and so on and so on…
Simply put, if you do not own this record digitally/physically/spiritually you are fucking the dog, as you are without some of the best sludge metal released in 2013. I would be naive to pigeonhole Opium Morals as sludge metal and sludge only, because clearly demonstrated are influences of doom, crust, and I'll go as far as saying some D-beat as well. Heavier than a fuel tanker truck filled with bison sperm, more immense than a mountain top housing blue whales, more garage rock fuzz and bile than Keith Richards' bong and at least 1000x better than listening to new Ensiferum (Unsung Heroes of epic generic suckiness).
• I'm going to continue posting albums from 2013 you may have missed if you were too busy watching Breaking Bad and or being useless in other shitty ways you know how to be •
I'm pretty into whatever A389 Recordings does, speaking of which, where do I get my grubby mits on the Like Rats self-titled?
Fallen Empire is a label that has both my attention and my respect as it is a DIY distro that focuses on unearthing black metal in all it's uncharted territory, keep your ear to the ground, I'm expecting/hoping that the label's catalogue increases with truly bleak black metal.
Lluvia released Premonicion De Guerra in late 2013, and it's likely that it has been flying under the goddamn radars ever since, why? Well it's definitely not because it doesn't hold true to black metal and all it's traditional idiosyncrasies… Nay, this album will turn your veins black with its blistering nod to black metal, mega cold riffs, galloping drums, piercing anguished howls all swallowed up in a aphotic atmosphere. If you ever have valued my opinion, heed my advice and grab this album, whether you decide to buy the vinyl OR throw in a couple dollars at the bandcamp page under the 'name your price' option. Though if money is super tight, input $0 and download it for free and be sure to give a thank you to the dudes at Fallen Empire, don't be a thankless neanderthal, bad karma.
• • •
I have no doubts this shit sounds so cold and foggy on vinyl (Thumbs up for how Fallen Empire set's up their vinyl displays, it's the little things man…)
Indian, from Chicago, Illinois, play an insanely robust and caustic blend of doom and sludge with the crumbling filth of crust thrown into the bubbling cauldron. This wall of noise is brought forth by swirling guitar and bass tones that are heavier than a dead dog, drums that pound and plod like a fucking migraine only to be occasionally pierced by crude and tortured vocals. Vocal duties are shared between the two guitarists, and they sound like hyenas… Hyenas that are actually wolverines… Wolverines that are rabid and starving, and possibly (probably) sexually frustrated. Pissed.
