Friday, time to boost things up with some metal and the Austin rockers WAR CLOUD.
The classic heavy metal torchbearers embracing their recognizable dual guitar harmonies, proto-metal licks, hard-charging rhythms, adding heavy surges of British and Southern metal to inspire the fire. Electrifying audiences for 6 years, WAR CLOUD takes no prisoners with their own style of high energy heavy metal.
Today's tune "Give'r" is taken from the band's thunderous live album "Earhammer Sessions", it was released on May 22nd on Ripple Music. These recordings capture the evolution of the band blasting through the setlist they performed every night on their most recent European tour with a raw, honest, take-no-prisoners vibe. The clip of today's tune is Recorded in an old barn an hour outside Cologne, Germany. Some footage was also shot at Moto Guzzi Motoraduno in Lecco, Italy and Officine Sonore, in Vercelli, Italy, enjoy!
Monday, a new week and it's time to shake some life in the "Record of The Week".
"Of Blood And Wine" is the second full-length from the French melodic doom quartet THE NECROMANCERS.
The album is a six-track, 44-minute long buffet with mixed melodic doom and classic heavy metal from the past, garish and whiskey drenched vocals, galloping heavy riffage with a stench of the 70's hard rock, springled with SABBATH with a layer of NWOBHM.
The album opens up with a soundtrack guitar riff, first thoughts lands on an early Frankenstein, until the shape changes and "Join The Dead Ones" starts for real, the vocals, melody flirts with GHOST, until the chorus comes and the vocals gets turbid and wheezy, an occult doomish wibe lies over the track. The next tune "Erzebeth" is a 13-minute epic piece and really stands out, dual galloping riffs that throw us back in time, floats out like an octopussy and fingers a bit here and there, wonderful, a true beauty. The tunes have a pretty long playtime except for the title track, just under three minutes which spins low-melted through as an interlude. Halfway through the album, it's time for the catchy "Secular Lord", full of hormone-induced musicians that just bubbles of crazy but well-thought creations that end up in excellent tune. "Lust" is a half pace tune that flows nicely until it half burst out in the middle and shifts direction in the end. The album closes up with the epic chanting tune "The Gathering", where an occult sacrifice ceremony takes place in the backyard, a gloomy landscape opens up and you wonder where the hell you are, say hey to the devil, you have just been sold. To summarize the album its highly majestic release and a superb follow-up to "Servants Of The Salem Girl".
Tom - Vocals & Guitar
Rob - Lead Guitar
Simon - Bass
Ben - Drums
“Of Blood And Wine” was released on October 5th, 2018 via Ripple Music!
Today's tune "Secular Lord" is taken from "Of Blood And Wine", enjoy!
FOGHOUND, is an American rock band from San Ramon, California. "Awaken To Destroy" is thier latest release where work began on the album in November 2016, with producer Frank Marchand (THE OBSESSED / BORRACHO) at the helm.
Numerous delays along the way sidelined production due to health issues, professional and personal commitments, and then the tragic murder of bassist Rev. Jim Forrester in December 2017, just days after completing the recording of the basic tracking.
“After seeing Jim claw and fight his way back after a major health scare and being in a coma last summer, only to be senselessly taken away from us all in this way, it really hit everyone like a ton of bricks”, says drummer / vocalist Chuck Dukeheart.
“The outpouring of love and support from everyone, and especially our friends and family in the Maryland Doom scene, was overwhelming. We can’t thank everyone enough for helping us, Jim’s wife Tina, and family to get through this terrible time.”
FOGHOUND emphasizes, “One thing that became apparent was that we all knew, and Jim said as much when he was laid up in the hospital last summer, was that he wouldn’t want us to stop. In his words – ‘We still have shit to do.'”
The band stated, “It was a very heavy, emotional time for us, to be back in the jamroom without Jim, but Adam really stepped up in a big way. His enthusiasm, preparedness, and love for the music really helped us get back to why we all play music. We were able to have fun again.”
“We are looking forward to being a part of these stellar lineups and to play these new songs live. We can’t wait for this monster of an album to be unleashed at the end of the summer!”
FOGHOUND:
Chuck Dukeheart, III – Drums, Vocals
Dee Settar – Guitar, Vocals
Bob Sipes – Guitar, Vocals
Adam Heinzmann – Bass
Jim Forrester lived his life by two mottos: “Upward and Onward!” and “I’ve Got Shit To Do!” So that’s what we’ve decided to do- we’re gonna keep on doing this thing called Foghound because it soothes our souls, it helps us remember, and it’s a fucking blast. In November 2018, Ripple Music will release our third album, Awaken to Destroy, on vinyl & cd, and Oliver Brewing Company will release “Awaken To Destroy”- 9% Double IPA - as part of their Rock and Roll Series. So keep on shoveling, upward & onward; we’ve got shit to do.
Today's tune "Keep on Shoveling (Rev Jim Forrester Benefit)" taken from the latest release "Awaken To Destroy", enjoy!
New week, it's time to introduce "Record Of The Week".
"Awakened From The Tomb..." is the debut release from the Swedish doom metal outfit WITCHERS CREED, the album was released on 22nd February 2019 at the American label Ripple Music.
WITCHERS CREED were formed 2017 in Katrineholm, Sweden by Filip Andersson, Emil Bjällerhag and Charlie Rangstedt and Emil Lundin. Strongly influenced by classic bands like BLACK SABBATH, DEEP PURPLE, TROUBLE, CANDLEMASS, PAGAN ALTAR, PENTAGRAM, JUDAS PRIEST, ANGEL WITCH, and IRON MAIDEN. After being together in high school in a former band called ILLUSION, Sophmore year (second year) of high school in late 2016, WITCHERS CREED was born. There was no time to lose. Filip came up with the name, inspired by "The Witcher" and "the Assassins Creed” franchises. And it sounded badass. Emil Lundin sadly departure from the band just in time when the band got signed in May of 2018 to California based record label Ripple Music. Herman Åsgård is his new replacement.
The band could be the youngest band in the new wave of Swedish doom scene today.
"Awaken From The Tomb..." give you a pleasant journey thru doomish heavy rock, deep heavy and groovy 70s inspired hard rock stoner doom. Filled with face melting guitar riffs, ground shaking bass lines, drums so groovy they sound like they come from space and screaming vocals from hell. And after a few spins, you can feel that they have embossed the style as it was natural floating in their veins.
"Depths Of The Black Void" is an amazing piece, drums and a crunchy fat bass line opens up the tune, vocals take a step in before the guitar joins the walk to the depths in this catchy tune. Another fatty bass line opens up "Raven's Claw", a rocker that has a great swing. Some cowbells in opening tune "Witchers Creed" and the straight-up rocker "Victims Of Retribution". A real emotional piece is "Larissa", where the singer really takes in from the toes when he let loose the words. A great guitar swing with a nice solo. "Rituals Of Decay" is a heavy 8-minute tune, doomish ups and downs with an excellent melody, neat solo, and the singer partly sounds like a mix between Magnus Pelander (WITCHCRAFT) and Pelle Åhman (IN SOLITUDE), me like! "Salem (Resurrection)" is a vintage doom rocker. "Monolith" is another high standard doom cut that takes its wings to spread out to the old doom heroes. The album closes with the title tune "Awaken From The Tomb...", an instrumental beauty with emotional and elegant guitar bonanza.
"Awaken From The Tomb" will tip off your chair when you letting this beast on, it's something organic, true, it feels real you know... It's freaking good, and it's hard to believe that this is a debut, well-done lads.
Lineup:
Filip Andersson - Guitar
Emil Bjällerhag - Bass & Backup vocals
Charlie Rangstedt - Drums
Emil Lundin - Lead Vocals (2017 - 2018) (Singer on the album)
Herman Åsgård - Lead Vocals (2019- )
Sum: One of the most promising groups to be emerging from the dark Swedish crypts.
Today's tune "" taken from the debut album "Awakened from the tomb...", enjoy!
The Belgian group FIRE DOWN BELOW has with their second album release "Hymn Of The Cosmic Man" made themselves one of the most interesting grungier space rock band out there at the moment, where influences from classic bands like KYUSS and TOOL runs in their veins, a good mix in other words. Heavy distorted riffing, melodic harmony, cleaver vocals around a superb rhythm section with tricky and neat variation in the structures makes this album a treat for your ears.
From the grandiose and doomy instrumental opening tune "Red Giant" and the faster paced rocker "Ignition/Space Cruiser" sets trail how wildly this album sprawls, almost that they looses track of them self but manages to remain on the edge. "Saviour Of Man" is a catchy and wild rocker, "The Cosmic Pilgrim" is a swelling, gritty thing to the opposite atmospheric and softer tune "Nebula". "Ascension" opens up with a babbling guitar sound, that slowly builds up before it levels up in a soft crescendo until it's time again. The album closer "Adrift In A Sea Of Stars", is monster the clocks in just over 11 mins, the tune is made in two parts where the first half have a rockier approach and the second is more progressive and instrumental with superb lead melodies and interesting musicianship.
That this follow up to the 2016 debut, "Viper, Vixen, Goddess, Saint" is a big step forward, well done guys. "Hymn Of The Cosmic Man" was released on June 8 via by Ripple Music. The album was mixed by Brad Boatright (WINDHAND, SUNN O))), BELL WITCH)
Sum: A grandeur Belgian release that should check up!
A beautiful Vinyl release of the album
Members
Sam Nuytens on the drums
Jeroen Van Troyen on rythym guitar and vocals
Kevin Gernaey on lead guitar
Bert Wynsberghe on the bass guitar
Today's tune is the rocker "Saviour Of Man", enjoy!
The Danish retro-heavy rockers, DOUBLESTONE are an interesting gang of musicians that create some classic heavy rock and sings about wizards, devils, and serpents. Mixing lyrics with native language and english. The music is classic rock with blues and heavy rock influenses. Formed in 2011 Copenhagen, Denmark, by long time friends, Jamie and Bo as a duo. DOUBLESTONE, later that year became a power-trio as (the cousin) Kristian joined the band.
The trio released a few EP’s, and in 2013 joined forces with, MOS GENERATORs Tony Reed to record their first full length “Wingmakers.” The debut album was recorded in an old cheese factory’s basement under the city of Copenhagen and catapulted the trio into the international stoner-rock scene, with their 70’s inspired, straight forward hardrock.
Now digging even deeper and going even further under ground, the second album, was created in the World War II bunker which is now Wolf Ram Studio, produced and mixed by DOUBLESTONE and Andreas Krohn, and mastered once again by the legendary by Tony Reed. "Devil’s Own/Djævlens Egn" was released through Ripple Music on May 5, 2017.
The band consist of:
Bo Blond Daugaard – Guitar/Vocals
Michael James Bruun – Drums
Kristian Blond Møller – Bass/Vocals
Today's tune "Here Comes The Serpent" is taken from the bands latest album "Devil’s Own/Djævlens Egn"
Bay Area heavy rockers THE WATCHERS have signed to Ripple Music for the Oct. 21 release of their Sabbath Highway debut EP. The band premieres with a new video for the track “Today”, that serves notice of the ass-kicking ethic to come on this release and hopefully going forward as well. Founded by members of SPIRALARMS and ORCHID, they’re a four-piece who wear their love of fuzz on their sleeve à la Valley of the Sun if “Today” is anything to go by, and the hook they proffer in the track is made all the more classic-feeling by the Evel Knievel footage they’ve chosen to accompany it. If you feel like maybe you can get down, that would be advisable.
"Sabbath Highway" presumably named for the stretch of road upon which THE WATCHERS are burning asphalt in their four-seater riff-fueled fuzzcycle — is the absolute first release from the band, which is comprised of vocalist Tim Narducci and bassist Cornbread (both formerly of SPIRALARMS), guitarist Jeremy Epp and drummer Carter Kennedy (ORCHID). No surprise that seasoned players would have an idea of what they want to do with their sound, but as they demonstrate with “Today,” their love of heavy rock spans about four decades’ worth of influence, from then to now, and they’re looking to make their mark as a unit starting with these five tracks.
Today's tune is the first video “Today”, it was put together by the band paying homage to the late great 70’s daredevil Evel Knievel. All hand picked footage by the band to guide the song along with its statement: No regrets, never look back, and live in the moment. This guitar line driven tune sprinkled with some TRAVERS and THIN LIZZY influence, will draw you in and make you a believer…. Rock and roll ain’t going away… it’s alive and here to kick your ass.
