... SECOND GRAVE "s/t" (album review)

The most prominent members of Second Grave are probably former Warhorse guitarist and singer Krista Van Guilder alongside bassist Dave Gein from Black Pyramid. However, the band is the brainchild of drummer Chuck Ferreira, with second axeman Chris Drzal completing the line-up.

Second Grave play a rather melodic type of Doom Metal with Stoner-touches, nothing out of the ordinary, yet well-conceived and delivered with conviction as well as songwriting intelligence. After the unassuming intro „Through The Red Door“, „Covet“ sounds convincing right away with Krista's charismatic voice dominating the picture as well as appealing guitar-harmonies that actually justify having two six-stringer. The mood is a mournful one, but Second Grave are rather fighters and not resignating sad-sacks. „Mountains Of Madness“may not be the most original title – as said, this band is not about innovation anyway – and lasts about nine minutes just like the opener. Thanks to its stomping beat, it comes across more lively and doesn't fall short of a veritable hook, once more provided by the singer.

„Salvation“is a one-minute acoustic interlude, again reminding us of the diversity the guitarists display throughout (as if their perfectly placed solos and leads were not enough), before wistfulness gains the upper hand again with „Soul Extinction“, a compact track that benefits from its catchy chorus – just like closer „Divide And Conquer“, the only difference here being a more epic character, also manifest in its length of about eight minutes.
All in all, Second Grave don't move any mountains with this first effort, yet proove themselves as solid composers without too much distinction apart from Kristas voice. If you have loved it ever since, you will get your fill with this.

words by Andreas Schiffmann

www.secondgrave.com

https://www.facebook.com/secondgraveband

... PREHISTORIC PIGS "Wormhole Generator"

Everybody capable of properly holding a guitar and playing some power chords thinks he has a calling for playing riffy Rock or Metal, so the fastest way to get it done is by hooking up with a drummer and bassist, while good singers are few and far between. Prehistoric Pigs from Udine, Italy, just sound like that on this debut: It's a rushed job of fuzzy instrumental Stoner Rock, the highlights of which are rare moments of rhythmic variation, respectively passages where the group swerves from its muddy acoustic path.

In„Swirling Rings Of Saturn“ this happens only towards the end, just when you start feeling bored, as Juli Tirelli is not the man for elaborate solos or leads. The sluggish bass-guitar-unison which is„XXI Century Riots“ vies for attention with frequent shifts of gear, but is much too long, the same going for „Tafassaset“,a one-riff display of monotony with erstwhile echoey effects you basically don't need at all, a noisy hotchpotch, probably excused as„improvisation“. You get more of this with the slightly shorter„Interstellar Gunrunner“, including uninspired solo noodling come half time and a frankly unexpected, fast-paced ending. A more excentric effort is „Entelodonts“, the band actually striving for a dynamic build-up, yet the ideas they hand in is nothing but average and could be cooked up by anybody capable of holding a … well, you know.

„Primordial Magma“ and „Electric Dunes“ then are the inevitable journeys into more psychedelic territory, meaning that distortion takes a backseat in favour of a calm leitmotif in the first song (the latter doesn't show any compelling tonal material at all) that is once more drawn out too long. The heavy riffs which at last come up are the more effective after such monotony, but still: This is something you don't listen to attentively and repeatedly, but rather in between the real goodies on this field, preferably coming from Karma To Burn or Monkey3.

 

words by Andreas Schiffmann

 

 https://www.facebook.com/moonlightrecordspr

https://www.facebook.com/PrehistoricPigs

 

 

 

 

 

... THE WELL "seven" (EP review)

Austin, Texas three-piece The Well recently unleashed their debut 7”—the aptly titled ‘Seven’—which is ten and-a-half minutes of garage-rockin’ doom coated in a saccharine sheen. While the band’s sound isn’t particularly polished, the catchy, shared vocal melodies of singer/guitarist Ian Graham and singer/bassist Lisa Alley lend an overall “pop” sound to the tunes. Even though the band isn’t blatantly wearing their influences on their collective sleeves, it comes as no surprise that they list Sonic Youth and The Raveonettes as artists that they appreciate along with many of the usual suspects such as Black Sabbath, Pentagram, and Blue Cheer. 

 Both tracks of the single, “Act II” and “Trespass”, are up-tempo jams that, at times, roar with garage-punk intensity. The main riff of “Act II” features an impressive, growling distortion that is the dominant force of the track until about midway through where the rhythm section of Alley and drummer Jason Sullivan really shine by keeping the song grounded amidst Graham’s feedback soaked, freak-out soloing. “Trespass” utilizes some heavy wah pedal abuse and reigns in the distorted roar a bit giving the bass playing of Alley more of a spotlight. Despite being the shortest song of the single, “Trespass” offers a little more variety throughout the track and really gives the individual players the space they need to stand out.

 The Well’s mixture of stoner metal, doom, and garage rock is nothing new, but the shared boy/girl vocals give this band a unique, if somewhat, “poppy” twist. The two tracks of ‘Seven’ are both infectious and rock-solid. While their sound is light years away from the sludge-pop stylings of Torche or the T. Rex influenced doom of Winters, fans of these two bands might immediately take to The Well. It’ll be interesting to see how this young band continues to develop and where they’ll take their brand of doom on future release. While it looks like The Well has sold out of the ‘Seven’ 7” (which included some cool, “imposter” album sleeves), you can still check them out and get a digital copy on their Bandcamp page.

 Steve Miller

http://www.facebook.com/thewellband

... CARONTE "Ascencion"

Coming from Parma, Italy, singer Dorian bones, formerly of The Wraiths Orchestra, offers a decent slab of Prosciutto between early Danzig and archaic Doom approximately between Saint Vitus and Electric Wizard. What Caronte (named after Charon, your favourite ferryman across the Styx) have in common with the latter is their grainy, reverb-laden sound – which actually mars the experience of „Ascension“ quite a bit.

Since Dorian sound a lot like „Evil Elvis“ himself, his voice would deserves being embedded more prominently into the mire cooked up by guitarist Tony and bass player Henry. As it is, tracks like the opener „Leviathan“ stay in your head mainly due to the vocal hooks, yet you have to listen to „Ascension“ attentively in order to get them. The frontman's lamento in „Ode To Lucifer“ may be worth a few spins, while the instrumental background isn't. „Sons Of Thelema“ sees the singer in a more aggressive mood, but the other musicians simply fail to live up to his expressiveness. Consequently, „Horus Eye“ is the weakest track, as it comes with only a few passages of singing.

„Black Gold“ doesn't sidestep the issue of rhythmical monotony either, while finally, the six- and four-strings succeed in creating some sort of ambience with at least a bit of harmonic interplay. „Solstice Of Blood“ trips its own shoelaces and falls on its face right away: fuzz-bass in unison with the guitar is what you get here, „acoustic indifference „adorned“ with sampled voice.

After „Navajo Calling“, a positively (for a change) hypnotic ending with chants that probably refer to native American tribal singing, it is obvious that Caronte, respectively their mastermind, should keep singing only and entrust capable, creative musicians with building a fundament for his vocal potential to unfold.

words : Andreas Schiffmann

http://www.loficreatures.com/

https://www.facebook.com/moonlightrecordspr

We are the hunted ones: MARS BY NIGHT ‘Basement Demo 2012’

The first time I was fortunate enough to catch Mars By Night was opening for two other phenomenal Denver based bands—three-piece heavy rockers Western Ritual and the mighty doom/sludge duo In the Company of Serpents. It was a killer bill from start to finish. All three bands would again share the stage at the second annual Denver Doom Fest where I was lucky enough to score a copy of Mars By Night’s ‘Basement Demo 2012’. Mars By Night play a heavily jam-influenced brand of doom metal and they do it well. The band effortlessly combines space-rock psychedelia in the vein of Hawkwind with the added jam band exploratory excursions of Earthless all the while remaining anchored by a stoner-doom groove.   

 The trippy instrumental “Gamma Wave Ritual” opens the demo with delay-laden guitar and a wash of feedback before accelerating into a meandering sonic trip that gives the musicians room to breath. At just over seven minutes in length “Gamma Wave Ritual” doesn’t grow tiresome due to the multiple changes in tempo and the proficiency of the players who manage to smoothly interweave their respective instruments. “Savage Land”, perhaps the strongest track of the demo, opens with a mesmerizing bass line courtesy of the talented Devin Tauber whose bass lines really carry this tune along with rhythm section cohort, drummer Kyle Butman. “Savage Land” maintains a mid-paced groove throughout but is highlighted by an excellent jazzy breakdown. The nasally, almost spoken word delivery of singer/guitarist Chad DuVall sporadically accents the tune and really fits well with their spacey brand of stoner-doom. Rounding out the demo is “Netherworld Blues”, an up-beat rocker that boasts classic rock riffing and 70’s style jamming minus the retro production values. The song also finds DuVall pushing himself vocally more than on the previous track and even belting out a scream or two.

 Without a doubt, Mars By Night are a talented group of musicians and the recording quality of this demo is excellent. It’s even more impressive to see the band play these tunes in a live setting—they flat out kill it. Their brand of jam band stoner-rock coupled with psychedelia and their musicianship makes this a band to watch out for. Check out songs from their demo via Souncloud or through the link on their Facebook page.

 Words: Steve Miller

http://www.facebook.com/MarsByNightMusic

https://soundcloud.com/chad-duvall/4-gamma-wave-ritual

                                          

... MEGACHURCH "Megachurch 2 : Judgment Day"

This curiously named band comes from Ohio and has no singer but two bass players. However, their brand of riff-oriented, playful Rock isn't purely instrumental (taking aside „Teabaggers and the title track, both highly memorable without any voices), but draws on sampled excerpts from speeches of televangelists, the implementation of which at times turns out to be masterful.

Take „My Father's Dignity“ as an example, both furious and menacing in music as well as text. Here and elsewhere, Megachurch make strong use of rather edgy riffing that could gain them a lot of fans from the Hardcore and Noise Rock scenes, also due to the fact that the musicians prefer tempo over sluggishness, but make no mistake: this is heavy nevertheless, in particular „We Are All Witnesses“, the only track with actual singing apart from „Battle Hymn For The Republican“. „Speaking In Tongues“ and „The Gay Agenda“ show what utter rubbish, both scary and hilariously witty, is preached especially in the USA.

From a subjective point of view, the concept appears to be a bit cheap (as is the artwork of „2: Judgement Night“), while the group's humourous approach may turn off the sourpusses amongst potential listeners, but the compositions, brimming with virtuosity, are as imaginative as their shortness is refreshening. Apart from those highlights mentioned, also consider the hypnotic „The Second Coming“ as a standout. Megachurch may be funny, but the music still comes first in their book. Maybe we should call them the comedian Beehoover or something like that.

words by Andreas Schiffmann

https://www.facebook.com/StressedSumoRecords

... SORROWS PATH "The Rough Path Of Nihilism"

I guess it's safe to say that Greece's Sorrows Path are on the same track as Candlemass, respectively Solitude Aeternus, with their brand of Doom that is tinged with a healthy dose of all things that make general Heavy Metal worthwhile. This 2010 debut has been long in the making, the band's career being overshadowed by death and hardship, which sounds almost cliché in connection to a scene that displays just these topics on its banners, all too often in garish colours.

For Sorrows Path though, its done way more classy almost all the way through. „All Love Is Lost“ starts of and ends on an acoustic or rather non-distorted note, the epic wedged in between consisting of oriental-sounding melodies, keyboard-strings and a dramatic chorus. The lyrics don't stay on the doomy middle of the road (oddly focusing sexual motifs), while singer Angelos Ioannidis cannot free himself from a slightly affect almost too theatratical timbre …

… which suits him well in the sinister „The Beast“ (a song about a rapist in this reviewer's eyes) and less so in „Honestly“ or „Dirty Game“, although maybe this impression is due to the fact that by time, Sorrows Paths concept seems a bit one-sided despite their advances into progressive territory with organ playing, tempo changes („Getting Closer“, a playful highlight) and the truly ambitious guitar playing: We know Kostas Salomidis not only as a passionate music lunatic, but can hear him as a versatile and virtuous player himself. The remarkable main riff of „Fetish“ prooves this just as well as the melodies of lushly orchestrated quasi-genre-hymn „Queen Of Doom“.

These being the positives sides of „The Rough Paths Of Nihilism“, the partly too similar song structures are a letdown which surely owes to long time it cost the band to put this album together. „Mr. Holy“, „Empty Eyes And Blackened Hearts“ or „Prostitute“, for example, trudge along without making too much impact, but also not tilting the overall impression to the negative. „Hymn Of Differentiation“ in fact entirely leaves the Doom territory and follows the same route as countrymates such as Karmik Link or Wastefall: woeful Prog which Greece has always been renowned for apart from its illustrious Black Metal history. Be certain that this combo will make more interesting and versatile noise on their second full lenght, which is currently in the making; for now, this is a still decent enough effort which has not aged much since it has been released.

words by Andreas Schiffmann

http://www.sorrowspath.net/

www.facebook.com/sorrowspath

... The future of Seattle is here : SERIAL HAWK (Interview!)

Each year it's about the same, you write the most unbiased as possible year-end list with your fave albums of the last 12 months and little by little in the following days/weeks, there's some freshly discovered stuff that appear to you luminously and give you regrets not to have been included in your poll !!!

Last year I remember that my most important regret had gone to ELDER "dead roots stirring" and this year there's great chances that "Buried in the Gray" from SERIAL HAWK wins this strange price !!! Well, better late than never, I'm completely stoked these days with this 4 songs affair which last about 25 minutes and even if it's been released more than 6 months ago, I'm gonna make it justice now !

SERIAL HAWK is incredibly mature yet, considering the average young age of its three members and its pretty short existence. Loud, heavy and massive as fuck, the band's style evolves constantly between Sludge, Stoner and Doom, depending of the moods they nebulously put you in.

Somber, atmospheric, the band is easy at delivering nice dynamics with fuzzy riffage, creative drumming and a stunning vocal performance, half-boosted / half-contained, always catchy and harmonious.

The tempo is utterly haunting, mid-paced to slowed down, but songs like "Silence Means Nothing" and "My Last Days" introduce some atmospheric drone moments, enhancing the ethereal approach while remaining always very very heavy and crushing.

There's definitely something in the soulful sound of SERIAL HAWK that transcends emotions, I feel it like a special graceful touch which always leaves a little hope in an overall that is basically comprised of dark frustrations... and this I fucking dig :) It didn't happen often this year but I felt like an urgent need to send several questions to this unexpected new discovery which I'm convinced will be one of my fave bands within the next years.
I'm enough old and experienced towards music now to feel that kind of things, just like I did say for example in the first days of last January that the debut album of the absolutely unknown (at that time) In The company of Serpents would be one of my faves of 2012 (and it ended at the 2nd row of my top albums) !

Thanx a lot to Will (guit/voc) to have answered this one in just a couple of hours ! Check out and support SERIAL HAWK, they are THE future of the Seattle's scene for the years to come and believe me this prediction is far more serious than others...;)

Hi Will... as I said in my introduction, it's time to make SERIAL HAWK justice in T.o.P. with this excellent "buried in the gray" ! it seems to have gotten several good reviews when it came out early this summer but not much since then and like me people may have missed it... are you in a 2nd phase of promotion now ? Did you concentrate on "local" affairs in between ?

We always appreciate it when someone takes the time to listen to our music. This is our first EP so being a fairly young band means we're still trying to make sure people hear what we're doing. It's awesome if they hear it right when it comes out, but if they hear about it a little later down the road, that's great too. Either way, we just want to share what we're doing with others. In between we’re usually writing, playing or working.

- You guys seem pretty young but have already a very solid and pretty personal sound, what’s your background ? You present your style as “Heavier than thou stoner metal played at crushing volumes”, was it your guideline when forming the band and starting to compose or did you have an even more precise idea about how you wanted to sound ?

Thanks! The three of us come from pretty different backgrounds both personally and musically, so we didn’t really have any set guidelines when starting out other than to play loud and keep it fairly straight forward, heavy and interesting.

  

- This description is pretty accurate but at several moments one could put you in the Sludge dept, there’s also Atmospheric Drone parts like in “silence means nothing” or a Doomy menacing edge in “my last days”… even if never obvious this diversity of moods and constant heaviness could remind YOB, is this is a band that is a source of inspiration for you as important as The Melvins or TAD (furthermore maybe not just musically…) ?

We look up to those guys as well as many other bands in the Pacific Northwest, I really feel grateful to be around such positive, genuine and heartfelt people.

- Who’s speaking about his "last days" ? at first sight, this title song and others don’t seem to breath light and positivism, what are the main topics you like to write about for Serial Hawk ? Does your way of writing your lyrics and their content evolved with newer songs since the EP?

I think that particular song is referencing that if these are our last days, then we should find a way to make the most of them. As far as newer songs, the lyrical content is definitely evolving and expanding, as is the music itself.

- I’m particularly amazed by the way you guys blend that ethereal edge with such heaviness and massiveness, including in your vocals… in this, I think the production work is carefully adapted with a nebulous grain enveloping…. How did you approach this ?

Wow, thank you for saying that! This EP was the first time I recorded vocals, so it was a pretty new experience for me. I wrote most of the lyrics at the last minute, in the van on the way to the studio. I prepared myself mentally, had a few beverages for some additional courage, and then just let it rip. Adam Pike was the engineer that we worked with at Toadhouse Studios in Portland, Oregon and he was very positive and supportive when I was in the booth. In the end we were really happy with how everything came out!

- What’s the scene like actually in Seattle in terms of heavy sounds ? Doesn’t it suffer too much from the weight of its legacy ? Is it easy to get the band on nice bills with bigger bands touring and having a stop in this legendary city ?

There are a lot of great bands in the area, so it’s an awesome place to be for music, but that being said sometimes it feels like there’s too much! You can go to a show almost every night, bands are always playing, new bands are popping up all the time, old bands are getting better and better, it’s wild.

- I guess you guys have now some new material for an album or so, what’s the plans like at the moment for the 1st full length album ? did some labels take contact ? Do you have any concrete live dates already planed for 2013 ?

We're writing a lot of new music as we speak, and we’re really happy with how things are coming together. We would love to make a record in 2013. We'll be going on tour in March for a couple weeks, so that will be a lot of fun, those dates will be online soon, but beyond pretty much anything goes!

- The EP is actually free for download during a week, a great Christmas present for your new fans but is there still some vynils available ? do you have any T-shirt or other merchandising also available ?

The 12" vinyl EP is still available. Shirts and records can be purchased at http://serialhawk.bigcartel.com

- I’ll let my great mate Steve from The Sludgelord (we spoke together this evening and I know he’ll feature Serial Hawk too with an interview soon in his mighty blog !) ask you shortly other interesting things about you and the band, but add anything important if you wish before ending… thanx Will and all the best to you guys for 2013 !

THANK YOU!

facebook.com/serialhawk

... OBELYSKKH "White Lightning'"

White Lightnin’ is the second release (2012) of the 4 piece stoner doom band OBELYSKKH from Nürnberg/Germany. It consists of 7 tracks with a total playing time of about 64 minutes.

If I had to describe this album in one sentence I’d say it is a heavy space trip into Doom, but the vehicle is a camel train rather than a space ship.

I’m going to write some more sentences though…

With the opener Enochian Keys the caravan lifts off into a trippy psychedelic atmosphere carried by oriental sounds. It is totally clear very soon though, that this won’t be an easy trip. You’ll have to deal with a great amount of different atmospheres and soundscapes, from a trippy calmness over a mantra like trance-inducing repetitiveness, spacey post rock to the dirty, sludgy, low end skull crushing heaviness. And all this is crammed with loving references and various influences.

This sounds like too much of everything? Like an incoherent chaos? Quite the contrary is the case. With a supertight songwriting taking unpredictable paths and turns, an excellent instrumental work (I include the vocals here as an additional instrument) and musicians playing off each other so well that it’s almost creepy, OBELYSKKH take you on a sonic journey with a carefully planned route, with stops in different places, where repetitiveness is not boring, but a welcomed relaxation of the senses and a perfect preparation for the surging up of the massive heavy sludge assault, and where the prolonging slow-down leads right to the point where it almost hurts – almost!! Release at the right moment is extremely delicious!

OBELYSKKH create different arcs of tension that sustain the track, build bridges between them or span even across the whole album. The tracks merge and yet they each keep their own atmospheric focus.

And finally a careful and sensitive production rounds out the album very well.

This is not an easy trip at all, as I said before. It demands concentration and endurance, but it’s much worth the effort. The combination of the challenging intricacy and the beastly raw heaviness is highly enjoyable and remains thrilling even beyond the 666th (about) listen.

words by Ulla Roschat

https://www.facebook.com/TheObelyskkhRitual
http://www.mainstreamrecords.de/

... An easily forgiven latecomer for the BEST OF 2012 : WO FAT's Kent Stump !!!

Stephane,

Man, I realized that I never got this returned to you. My apologies for not taking care of business. Sorry, man, I'm such an idiot. I've had so much going on the last few weeks it just slipped my mind. I realize I'm way past the deadline and if it's too late to use, then I totally understand. No problem. But if you do want to use it, here are my answers:



TOP ALBUMS OF 2012

1. High on Fire "De Vermis Mysteriss"
2. The Disease Concept "Liquor Bottles and Broken Steel"
3. Orange Goblin "Eulogy for the Damned"
4. Diesel King "The Ancient and the Nameless"
5. Stonehelm - "Stonehelm" This is technically a reissue, I guess, but it's such a great album.
6. Tombstones "Year of the Burial"
7. Mos Generator "Nomads"
8. Wight "Through the Woods into the Deep Water"
9. Roadsaw EP
10. Mothership = "Mothership"
11. Larman Clamor "Frogs"
12. The Re-Stoned "ReSession"
13. Abrahma "Through the Dusty Paths of Our Lives"
14. Seven Planets "Seven Planets"
15. Project Armageddon "Tides of Doom"


- REVELATION(S) OF 2012

1. That a second, unreleased, Boomerang album from 1972 exists. Tony Reed was generous enough to hip me to this one.

2. Mendozza "Cabra Noche" This album is a couple years old, but I just discovered it last summer and it slays.


- TOP LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2012

1. Lo Pan - I saw these guys 3 times this year, twice when we had the honor of playing with them and once when they opened for High on Fire and each time they just killed. They are one of the best bands I've ever seen live.

2. High on Fire - Epic as always. Plus they played a bunch of old tunes as well as new.

3. Tia Carrera and Dixie Witch when we played with them in Austin last January. Both bands were amazing.


- MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2013

1. Hopefully a new Church of Misery album
2. A new Blood Farmers album
3. Sleep
4. Dopethrone
5. Egypt


- On a more personnal point of view, please give us your own appreciations about this year and - if there’s any particular - your expectations for 2013 ?

2012 has been an awesome year for us. A bunch of good things have happened. We became part of the Small Stone roster and were invited to play Roadburn and Desertfest.

2013 looks like it will be a very exciting year. We'll be doing our first European tour and I'm so stoked to get the chance to play for fans in Europe and also to get to see as many of the amazing bands that will be playing at Roadburn and Desertfest as I can.

I am also really looking forward to getting to see Sleep play live in March.

Thanks for thinking of me for this, and once again, sorry about not getting this to you on time.

Cheers,

Kent

Wo Fat

*************************************

If you haven't read it yet, check out the interesting interview I had with Kent this fall and most important don't miss out their masterpiece "the black code" + forthcoming 1st European tour next April !!!

http://templeofperdition.blogspot.fr/2012/10/in-depth-interview-with-kent-stump-from.html

...Submerge Yourself in Disease: ATOMIC CRIES ‘Suspended Between the Mouth of ..." EP

The unholy cacophony unleashed by Saúl Do Caixão and Andy Lippoldt, collectively known as Atomic Cries, is the accompanying death knell belched forth from the mouth of hell as Death gallops onward into the realm of man. The band’s latest 7” single, ‘Suspended Between the Mouth of God and the Fist of Man’, stays true in overall mood, texture, and execution to the impressive 4-song demo, ‘For Those Who Came Before Us’, that was released earlier in the year. The duo proclaims that they “play primitive doom metal exclusively” which is right on the mark. Atomic Cries’ primitive doom metal, which also has an apocalyptic, ritual altar feel to it, fits in among other adepts who also dabble in lo-fi, primeval doom such as early Ice Dragon, Tentacle, Uzala or even Saint Vitus.

“False Prophecies”, the A-side of ‘Suspended Between the Mouth of God and the Fist of Man’, opens ominously amidst shapeless, rough-hewn distortion and drums before ultimately coalescing into a sinister doom riff accompanied by the booming, layered vocals of Saúl Do Caixão. The entire track pulses with a life of its own as the listener is eased into a slow descent of inescapable doom. While “False Prophecies” has no real twists and turns as far as tempo goes, the subtle effects on Saúl’s vocals and the addition of piercing lead guitar toward the latter half of the track add depth and character to this doleful tune. The B-side, “The Athiest”, fades in to a repeated pattern of simple, yet abrasive notes that escalates in intensity before dissolving into an all-engulfing wave of distortion. When the dust finally settles Lippoldt lets a few bass notes ring out before Do Caixão follows closely with his guitar crunch and Atomic Cries plunge into their second ritualistic slow-burn. While “The Atheist” isn’t as initially gratifying as the A-side, the tune ultimately devolves into a satisfying organ outro that makes the journey worth it.

The lo-fi, no frills approach of Atomic Cries’ self-proclaimed “primitive doom” is a welcome addition to the canon of traditional doom metal. ‘Suspended Between the Mouth of God and the Fist of Man’ picks up where the demo, ‘For Those Who Came Before Us’, left off and continues the band’s exploration of down tempo, funereal textured doom. There may be those who won’t appreciate the raw, demo quality of ‘Suspended Between the Mouth of God and the Fist of Man’ but you can’t please everyone. It’ll be interesting to see how this band develops in the future and if they will be able to diversify their sound in all of its simplicity. Get both ‘Suspended Between the Mouth of God and the Fist of Man’ and their demo through the band’s bandcamp page. The 7” single is to be released January 2013 through Finland’s Svart records.

Words: Steve Miller

http://www.facebook.com/diehealing?fref=ts

http://www.svartrecords.com/shoppe/1616-atomic-cries-7-.html

.... OSTROV / DEAD END ALASKA split EP

After their great debut EP "Noumenal" (downloadable for free now, just as their demo) released last Spring, Mississipi based OSTROV is back in this end of the year with 2 new songs shared on a split ep with DEAD END ALASKA...

What can surprise but certainly not disconcert at first listening is the sound which seems even more LIVE than on Noumenal, sure this gives a rawer edge to the overall but I think the band will need more carefully-laid recording conditions in the future !  This doesn't change drastically anything in their nice blend of Post HC and SLUDGE, just maybe the Blackened influences are not as present (or as obvious) here like they were on a song like "Frame-Dragging" or even "Redshift.

The opening song "Maw" is a 7 minutes long piece of aesthetic heaviness with gnarly vocals, the creative additions are particularly neat here especially with stunning soloing and transporting melodies.

2nd song "Carrion" is shorter, more classical in its structure and visceral too, but still another proof that with better conditions, at the height of their talented potencial, OSTROV could definitely hit the target in 2013 !!!

I couldn't forget a mention on Dead End Alaska, their partners on this split effort : well I'm sincerely convinced they're much interesting for people into Post HC, but (too bad for me or not) this kind of sound is not really my cup of tea if it's not accompanied by Sludge or Black overtones, or at least a great dose of heaviness and downtuned guitars !!! I know I'm sometimes an old close-minded asshole but on the other hand I've willingly got to reckon that it's best if bands who share a split effort aren't playing exactly the same style of music, so I think it wholly deserves attention and support ;)

http://www.facebook.com/ostrovband

http://ostrov.bandcamp.com

... SLOW HEART "Dead Friends and Angry Lovers" (yet another Ice Dragon spin-off band !!!)

I wear black on the outside because that’s how I feel on the inside: SLOW HEART's 'Dead Friends and Angry Lovers’

Boston’s genre-hopping three-piece, Ice Dragon, is responsible for releasing one of the most compelling, tripped-out doom metal albums of the year with their excellent fourth full-length ‘Tome of the Future Ancients’. Seemingly not content to tread the same path twice, the band has pushed their collective sonic palettes into drone, 60’s psychedelia inspired dream-pop, and kraut-rock influenced freak-out territories among others. When not recording as Ice Dragon, the band has also assumed the identity of Tentacle—a dark, acerbic doom/drone/sludge abomination that worships at the altar of Cthulhu. Not to leave any stone unturned, the band—recording as Slow Heart—has bypassed the space-time continuum and released ‘Dead Friends and Angry Lovers’, a moody, reverential collection of tunes that would be right at home on an 80’s college rock radio station played amongst Bauhaus, The Sisters of Mercy, Joy Division, or The Birthday Party. This may not be the doom metal or psychedelic rock that Ice Dragon has become synonymous with, but the five tracks that comprise ‘Dead Friends and Angry Lovers’ are a collection of atmospheric, sparse compositions that channel the best of 80’s post-punk and goth-rock.

“We Want the Night” opens the album with a gentle drumbeat alternating steadily between snare and bass before the heavily reverbed lead guitar protests dreamily in the background. Lead vocalist Ron Rochondo has further developed vocally by assuming a croon that falls somewhere between the sonorous, deep baritone singing voices of Nick Cave and Andrew Eldritch. “We Want the Night” establishes the mood for the rest of the album through its barren, minimalist composition that runs like a vein through three of the remaining four tracks. “Alone and Red” veers slightly from the minimalist goth-rock tendencies of “We Want the Night” in favor of an orchestral drone. This second track adds a meditative texture to ‘Dead Friends and Angry Lovers’ and serves as a foil to the remaining spectral compositions. “Never Trust a Woman (Dressed in Black)” is, musically, the best song that Echo and the Bunnymen never recorded provided said Bunnymen were on a steady diet of downers and didn’t give a fuck of whether they sold an album or not. “Die Tonight” is the soundtrack for a torturous descent into a personal abyss. The repetitive, haunting two notes played on the keyboard drives the anguish straight into the skull. ‘Dead Friends and Angry Lovers’ ends with the instrumental track “11:54pm (Waiting on Midnight)”. While this fifth track fits in well and remains consistent with the album as a whole, it could just as easily be a long lost Portishead demo minus the trip-hop tendencies.

In the absence of Ice Dragon or Tentacle I’ll take Slow Heart any day. Ron, Joe, and Carter have nailed it by drawing inspiration from late 70’s/early 80’s goth-rock and post-punk to create an album that transcends both the scene and era that influenced it. Ice Dragon’s fifth full-length, ‘Dream Dragon’, found the trio experimenting with lighter, psychedelic rock with much success, but ‘greyblackfalconhawk’ and now Slow Heart’s ‘Dead Friends and Angry Lovers’ confirms that Ron, Joe, and Carter are more than proficient at creating dark, atmospheric tunes seemingly on a whim. Here’s looking forward to more Slow Heart in the future.

Steve Miller

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Slow-Heart/250831461705693

... BEST OF 2012 **PART 2** !!!

After a successful 1st part, here's the 2nd chapter of T.o.P.'s "BEST OF 2012"; the principle is exactly the same : I've asked to various actors of the scene (I'm connected with) to give me their Top Albums and Live Performances of 2012, their revelations too, plus expectations for next year which already promise huge moments of sonic DOOM and finally some eventually more personal notes !!!

Thanx to everybody who took part to this and enjoyed it, I wish you all a cool end of the year and an awesome new one in 2013...

 

Keep on listening HEAVY Sounds and supporting the underground \m/

 

 

ALDO "DODO" DOOM (ARKHAM WITCH)

 

Ok...so here are our best of 2012

Albums, in no particular order:

TESTAMENT-'Dark Roots of the Earth'
GRAND MAGUS-'The Hunt'
MORTALICUM-'The Endtime Prophecy'
ZZTOP-'La Futura'
VIKING SKULL-'Cursed by the Sword'
OVERKILL-'The Electric Age'
SAINT VITUS-'Lillie:F-65'
BASTARD OF THE SKIES-'Tarnation'

Top Live Performances:

The Malta Doom Metal Fest was simply awesome this year! Me (Aldo) and Simon went to rock out with our Maltese buddies. So many great bands kicked ass: IRON VOID, FORSAKEN, MORTALICUM, HOODED PRIEST, GRIFFIN DEVICE, THE BLACK and many others. The highlight of that fest was the unexpected final band which was a DIO tribute act and they were the perfect ending to a great weekend of DOOM!

Earlier this year, John went to see AMON AMARTH with GRAND MAGUS in Dublin Ireland and he still hasn't shut up how great this gig was!

BLOODSTOCK Festival was truly mind blowing with great acts playing! ANVIL, TESTAMENT, VIKING SKULL and EVILE were mega Awesome!

STEEL PANTHER (haha my guilty pleasure) Rocked as usual. Great fun live band.


Most anticipated Albums for 2013:

I believe NOMAD SON we'll be releasing their 3rd album in 2013 and we'll be looking forward to that!
Also the mighty ARGUS will be another release to look forward too.


I think this year has been a great year for great release's and i'm sure their's loads of fantastic albums that have come out and have slipped my mind. We ourselves have been really busy with the release of our new album and 2013 is looking hectic as we are self releasing an E.P and we shall also have our 3rd album out via Metal On Metal Records by end of 2013. 2013 is definitely gonna ROCK and i'm looking forward to rocking out at some decent European Festivals and listening to some great acts!

Thanx and much respect


ARNO Bechet (SOUTHERN BADASS)

TOP ALBUMS OF 2012

1/ Orange Goblin – A Eulogy For The Damned
2/ Rival Sons – Head Down
3/ Graveyard – Light Out
4/ Baroness – Yellow & Green
5/ Pallbearer – Sorrow And Extinction

Revelations Of 2012

1/ Rival Sons
2/ Pallbearer

3/ Sun Gods In Exile

TOP LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2012

1/ Steel Panther (bataclan 2012)

2/ Orange Goblin  (hellfest 2012)

3/ Lynyrd Skynyrd (hellfest 2012)

 MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2012

1/ Sasquatch – IV
2/ Ghost – “new album”
3/ Hardcore Superstar – One More Minute

MITCH Allred (DOGBANE)

Hello all, holiday greetings and Happy New Year to Temple of Perdition and its readers the world over. I appreciate the opportunity to share some thoughts on this past year with everyone, so here we go.

If “Psalms for the Dead” remains the final studio album from Candlemass they truly go out on a high note. Having been a Messiah fan, I can honestly say Robert Lowe has done a remarkable job as his replacement and “Psalms for the Dead” is his best work with the band. “Psalms for the Dead” has my vote for album of the year. Following close behind is Angel Witch’s “As Above, So Below” and Witchcraft’s “Legend.” The first of those two for reminding us all why the “NWOBHM” sound during the late 70’s and early 80’s was so important and influential, and the latter for proving that a band can take the next big step production wise, yet maintain the majority of the ingredients that brought you to them in the first place. I also found pleasure this year with Accept’s “Stalingrad” and Testament’s “Dark Roots of Earth.” These two bands were instrumental in my formative years, and still have the ability to transport me back to a special time and bring a smile to my face.

One thing kind of hit home this year (not so much as a revelation, but as another confirmation to the fact that money does ruin everything) was the Black Sabbath Bill Ward debacle. I know that there are two sides to every story, but as time possibly seems to be running out for the band that started it all, it is just a shame that an agreement couldn’t be reached. I just hate to see it all possibly end like this. This is not how the bands legacy should play out… and get well Tony, we are all pulling for you. You are the inspiration to generations of guitar players, including this one.

Due to band commitments, other issues, and the fact I live in a very rural area of North Carolina, I didn’t make it out to my normal number of shows this year but I did make it to a couple of shows that did standout. Iron Maiden was in North Carolina for the first time in twenty years. Their shows are always special, and it was my girlfriends first time seeing them. We came down off the mountain for that one. Graveyard and Radio Moscow were out of this world, and a touring Saint Vitus gets the “smokiest” of doom heads off the couch. I missed the American debut of Ghost and I’m still kicking myself in the ass for that. Speaking of Saint Vitus, “Lillie: F-65” was my most anticipated studio release of 2012. Well, that and the new Corrosion of Conformity album. I am happy to say both didn’t disappoint and the two of them both make it into my top picks. The doom community has sung Saint Vitus’s praises for years. It took a while, but we finally got a new album. I hope they continue to get the respect they so richly deserve… about time I say. I also think C.O.C. really answered the call after the departure of Pepper Keenan. They arguably had their greatest success with him, but as we North Carolinians know, C.O.C. was a great band before Pepper, they were a great band with him, and they are still a great band. Corrosion of Conformity’s new album was a perfect blend of everything they have ever done. Punk/Sludge/Doom/Metal/Rock it is all in there and it flows seamlessly. As far as bands to watch in the coming year, I’m looking forward to Ghost’s follow-up. For me they occupy that sweet spot between Blue Oyster Cult and Mercyful Fate… two of my most favorite bands. I’m also intrigued by Blood Ceremony (whose last release was actually in 2011), and I hope to hear something new from them in 2013. They are a perfect blend of Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, and Coven. I’m really drawn into what they’ve done thus far.

As some of you know it has been a bittersweet year for my band Dogbane. We saw our debut “Residual Alcatraz” released by Heaven and Hell Records, only to lose our friend and guitarist David Ellenburg to a stroke in August. So things have been very tough as we continue to carry on in his memory. While we adjust we have tried to keep the ball rolling by recording a cover of Kiss’s “Charisma” which will appear on “Rock and Roll All Nite: A Millenium Tribute to KISS 1973-2013,” due out after the first of the year on Versailles Records. So hopefully this will help to start the New Year off in the right direction. We have also begun writing our sophomore effort and our goal is a new release before the end of 2013.

MATT Richardson (BASTARD OF THE SKIES)

Top Albums of 2012 (in no particular order and not including anything I've worked on)

1. Melvins – Freak Puke
Unsane – Wreck
Pigs – You Ruin Everything
Jucifer – Nadir
Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill
Rabbits – Bites Rites
Prizehog – A Talking To
Kowloon Walled City – Container Ships
Hey Colossus – Witchfinder General Hospital
Grimpen Mire – A Plague On Your Houses
Lazarus Blackstar – Hymns for the Cursed
Undersmile – Narwhal
Alunah – White Hoarhound
Conan – Monnos
Slomatics – A Hocht


Top Live Performances of 2012

Harvey Milk – Roadhouse, Manchester
Melvins – Moho, Manchester
Sleep – Roadburn
Jucifer – Roadburn
Black Sun – Stairway Club, Glasgow


Personal highlights 0f 2012

Getting “Tarnation” finished and released and the great reviews we've had for it and our Split LP. Touring with Jucifer and opening for Harvey Milk, Orange Goblin and Kylesa. Also having the oportunity to work with some awesome bands in the studio such as Arkham Witch, Black Magician, Conan, Jacknife Holiday and Moist.


Next year I'm looking forward to some fantastic sessions I've got booked in as well as working on a couple of new BotS releases!


Most Anticipated Album of 2013 :
Art of Burning Water – This Disgrace


ANDREAS Schiffman (Spirit Descent / Maladie)


Top Albums 2012 in no particular Order:

A Forest Of Stars - A Shadowplay For Yesterdays
Lugnoro - Annörstades
Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I
Paradox - Tales Of The Weird
Pallbearer - Sorrow And Extinction
Maladie - Plague Within
Wino and Conny Ochs - Heavy Kingdom
Adrian Benavides - Same Time Next Life
The Advocates - The Way
Colossus - The Sepulcher Of The Mirror-Warlocks
Ethereal Architect - Monolith
Heaven's Cry - Wheels Of Impermanence
Corsair - Corsair
Enslaved - Riitiir
Threshold - March Of Progress
Albatross / Vestal Claret - Split


Revelations 2012 (or rather insights):

Retro stinks, be it in Death Metal or Rock music.

Life is supposed to be lived and involves constant learning.

Watching from a distance is not only the name of a great album, but also the thing to do from time to time when dabbling with music "businesses" and "scenes".


Top Live Performances 2012:

Being neither a festival-hopper lucky enough to live in an area where there are plenty of gigs, I have to say that it's especially the numerous small groups that deserve credit for their concerts, notwithstanding circumstances which are often far from ideal. Apart from that, I am not willing anymore to shove money up the asses of half-hearted, half-playback performers or, on the other hand, overblown quasi-Arena-Rock-shows. Given the fact that with waning records sales, the live sector is getting more and more important, it's high time, too, for a generally more agreeable sound quality and periphery at gigs. Amen.


Anticipations 2013:

Beelzefuzz, Mercyful Fate - not more, as one tends to get disappointed.


Mercyful Mike Smith (DAYS OF THE DOOMED )

So for my Top 15 of 2012, I decided to stay strictly with full length releases,

which means I'm going to have to leave out some pretty bad ass EPs from the likes of

Orodruin, Iron Man, Argus, Orchid, and Lucertola, and list absolutely no reissues. And keep

in mind that in choosing my Top 15, I always take into consideration which albums I

returned to for repeated listens throughout the year.

1. PALE DIVINE - "Painted Windows Black"

2. PALLBEARER - "Sorrow and Extinction"

3. EARTHEN GRAVE - "Earthen Grave"

4. BLACK MAGICIAN - "Nature Is The Devil's Church"

5. ALTAR OF OBLIVION - "Grand Gesture Of Defiance"

6. CHOWDER - "Passion Rift"

7. TESTAMENT - "Dark Roots Of The Earth"

8. VENOMOUS MAXIMUS - "Beg Upon The Light"

9. LORD FOWL - "Moon Queen"

10. SANCTUS BELLUM - "The Shining Path"

11. WORM OUROBOROS - "Come The Thaw"

12. ORANGE GOBLIN - "A Eulogy For The Damned"

13. HOUR OF 13 - "333"

14. REVELATION - "Inner Harbor"

15. ATTIC - "The Invocation"

Revelations of 2012:

1. Probably the biggest revelation of the year for me is that the new Saint Vitus album just didn't sit right with me. Don't get me wrong- it's a tremendous album, but it just didn't "grab me". Maybe it was all the hype and anticipation of its release that ultimately lead to it being somewhat of a let

down. I know I'll be crucified for saying this, but hey, just being honest!

2. That Beelzefuzz is on the verge of taking our beloved genre of doom to a whole new level. To my ears, they are doing things that no one else is, and that makes it all the more refreshing to hear. You can name off a thousand influences that may form their core, but they take those sounds and blend it perfectly with their own. Doom, progressive, psychedelic... call it what you want. I call it Beelzefuzz!!!
3. That if you sift through the commercial/mainstream garbage you will find that METAL is alive and well!!!

Top Live Performances of 2012

1. PRIMORDIAL/WHILE HEAVEN WEPT/CORMORANT

2. GHOST/BLOOD CEREMONY/ANCIENT VVISDOM

3. HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE/THE GATES OF SLUMBER/VENOMOUS MAXIMUS

4. EARTHEN GRAVE/QUESTION OF MADNESS/DEEP SPACE PILOTS

5. DYLAN/IAN/CHRISTINE a.k.a. "The Smiths" - Rocking out in the living room!

(I left out any performances from Days Of The Doomed Fest II for the obvious reason that I am totally biased! Every performance RULED!


Top 5 Most Anticipated of 2013:

1. BEELZEFUZZ

2. GHOST

3. THE GATES OF SLUMBER

4. IN~GRAVED

5. ARGUS

In review, 2012 was not a good year for me personally. I'm really not one to go public with my private life, so I'll leave it at that. If there was one thing that I realized more than ever in 2012, it's that my friends and family are the essence of my existence. No matter what, they continue to rally around me and show support regardless of what I'm going through or what crazy endeavors I attempt to follow. My wife Christine deserves special mention due to the fact that she has towed the line tremendously this year, and I am forever grateful to have her in my life.

I'd also like to say that I am continuously amazed at the growth of Days Of The Doomed Fest. Several people have told me this in the past, but it is the absolute truth: doom shows are just like family gatherings. There is a special bond between bands and fans in the doom community that simply does not exist in other genres, at least not to the level is does in doom. Everyone appreciates and respects each other equally, and come together simply for the love of the music. So for that reason alone I am glad to put on Days Of The Doomed Fest, and will continue to do so as long as I am able. Just knowing that people from all over the WORLD came to a small club in Milwaukee, WI is very humbling. So again, thanks to ALL of you for your continued support! See you in 2013!

DENNIS (BLASTING DAYS)

Top albums of 2012 (in 2 parts):

part I : the fast and angry metal bands :

-Black breath-sentenced to life
-Dephosphorus-Nightsky transforms
-Cara neir-sublimation therapy
-Cattle decapitation-Monolith of inhumanity
-F.U.B.A.R-Lead us to war
-The kill-make'em suffer
-Burning love-Rotten thing to say

part II : the « less fast and angry but nevertheless really cool bands » :

-Aluk todolo-Occult rock
-Grand magus-The hunt
-King giant-dismal hollow
-Slug guts-Playing in time with the deadbeats
-White lung-Sorry
-Graveyard-lights out
-Witchcraft-Legend
-Greenleaf-nest of vipers
 

-Revelations of 2012 :

-Pet the preacher-the banjo
-Wolfshead-st
-Black cowgirl


expectations for 2013 : I'm waiting for the upcoming Blockheads record on Relapse.


JB Matson (WAR INJUN)

Top Albums In no particular order :

Leather Nun America - Kult Occult

High On Fire- De Vermis Mysteriis

Iron Man-At Halla Dig Over

YOB-Label Showcase

Chowder-Passion Rift

Goatwhore-Blood For The Master

Live Perf. 2013 :

YOB-Roadburn 2012

any show the Melvins played

Anticipated albums 2013 :

War Injun/Doomdogs 7" Split / War Injun Full Length 2013 / Hopes that The Obsessed put something together.

STEPHANE Azam (CROWN)

- TOP ALBUMS OF 2012

1. Zatokrev - the bat the wheel and a long road to nowhere

2. Leech - if we got here one day would you please open the gates ?

3. Converge - all we love we left behind

4. Electric Electric - discipline

5. Graveyard - lights out

6. Baroness - yellow and green

7. Shining - redefining darkness

8. Gojira - l'enfant sauvage

9. Meshuggah - koloss

10. Sabbath assembly - Ye are gods

11. Chris robinson brotherhood - Moon ritual

12. Enslaved - Ritiir

13. Neurosis - honor found in decay

14. Swans - The seer

15. Xibalba - hasta la muerte

- REVELATIONS

1. Chaos Echoes

2. Birds in row

3. Coilguns

- TOP LIVE PERFORMANCES

1.Yob

2.Zatokrev

3.Swans

4.Brutal Truth

5.Black breath

- MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2013

Cult of Luna

Tool

Godflesh

Kongh

Coilguns

- On a more personnal point of view, please give us your own appreciations about this year and - if there’s any particular - your expectations for 2013 ?

Hmm, well maybe i have to try to be more waisted on 2013 that could be a really cool thing for my mental health, 2012 was not so bad but not so good too … anyway, i'm looking for more heavy and intense music and more psychic depravation !!

CASEY Yarbrough (ORDER OF THE OWL)

Ok so my favorite releases of 2012 were


Royal Thunder -CVI,
High on Fire -De Vermis Mysteriis,
Liars -WiXiW
Demonaut


As far as revelations I'd say we as a band want to do more benefits and charity work for the animal shelters. Pets are the first things forgotten in tough times.


Favorite Shows,

The Hail!Hornet
Church of Misery
Gates of Slumber
Cough tour!
St Vitus, Weedeater, Sourvein, tour
Big Business
Hull and Mortals
Red Fang, Black Tusk, Lord Dying
Windhand

We were glad to get Order of the Owl on the road in 2012 and want to hit it harder in 2013!

Reno))) Deschamps (The Pledge Of Cain)

TOP albums : (in no particular order)

This Gift Is A Curse : I, Gvilt Bearer

Blut Aus Nord : Cosmosophy
Anatomia : Decaying In Obscurity
Aevangelist : De Masticatione Mortuorum In Tumulis
Witchrist : The Grand Tormentor
Ian Hawgood : The Shattered Light
P.H.O.B.O.S : Atonal Hypermnesia
Evoken : Atra Mors
Chromatics : Kill For Love
Dead In The Dirt : Fear

TOP revelations :

Bottom Feeder (from Denmark), fantastic EP.


TOP Live : Radiohead, zénith Strasbourg !

TOP most anticipated album 2013

GNAW : ? (can't wait!)
Primitive Man : Scorn
The Pledge Of Cain : ???


MICK  (BLOOD RED WATER)

TOP ALBUMS

Seven Sisters of Sleep ( A389 Recordings)
Electric Taurus - Veneralia (Moonlight Records)
Fistula - Northern Aggression / Loser (patac records)
Soulsavers - The Light the Dead See
Gli Sportivi - Black Sheep (Flute Records)
Black Keys - El Camino

REVELATIONS:

Black Capricorn / from Sardinia, love 'em!
Seven Sisters of Sleep /sick monster sludge from Los Angeles.

MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2013 :

Queens of the stone age
Tool (for god's sake!)
Clucth
and everything from...The Wounded Kings and Electric Wizard.

CONSIDERATIONS/COMMISERATIONS:

2012 has been a really good year for Blood Red Water: we put out our EP "Tales of addiction and despair" at the beginning of this year and we got brilliant reviews then, we have the opportunity to playing live two gigs in Dublin and it was a blast.

Our aim in the next year will be to write some doomy, stoned and hopless stuff and play it live.

Long life to all the bloggers,websites and people who support underground and undead music!


ABBE Loud (www.sue.fi)


TOP albums 2012: (random order)

Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell - Don’t Hear It…Fear It!Hexvessel - No Holier Temple
Horisont - Second Assault
Vinum Sabbatum - Bacchanale Premiere
Death Hawks - Death & Decay
Mount Carmel - Real Women
Witchcraft - Legend
Saint Vitus - Lillie: F-65
Tusmørke - Underjordisk Tusmørke
Seremonia - Seremonia
Pilgrim - Misery Wizard
Demonic Death Judge - Skydogs
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill
Eagle Twin - The Feather Tipped The Serpent's Scale


TOP Gigs 2012: (random order)

Church Of Misery (Helsinki)
Eyehategod (Lieto)
Saint Vitus (Helsinki)
Hexvessel (Helsinki)
Sammal (Turku)
Horisont (Turku)
Graveyard (Turku)
Goatess (Stockholm)
Weedeater (Helsinki)
Electric Wizard (Helsinki)
Hooded Menace (Helsinki)
Acid King (Turku)
Sleep (Helsinki)


Expectations for 2013:

Burning for progressive album/gigs from Sammal, heavy stoner from Goatess, sludgepunkblues from EHG.

And someone pls bring Tusmørke to Finland too! And Skull of course.


STEPH "Boubus Maximus" (BARABBAS)
(with the help of Saint Rodolphe !)

- TOP ALBUMS OF 2012

YEAR OF THE GOAT : Angel's Necropolis
HUATA : Atavist of Mann
BEVAR SEA : Bevar Sea
BLOODY HAMMERS : Bloody Hammers
DOWN : Down IV
ORANGE GOBLIN : A Eulogy for the Damned
SATAN'S WRATH : Galloping Blasphemy
STANGALA : Boued Tousek Hag Traou Matt All
THE SWORD : Apocryphon
GRAVEYARD : Lights Out
KISS : Monster
NORTHWINDS : Winter
MAGMA : Felicité Thoz
and of course the new SAINT VITUS !


- REVELATION(S) OF 2012 :

YEAR OF THE GOAT


- TOP LIVE PERFORMANCES :
CHILDREN OF DOOM: Glad fest
SAINT VITUS : HELLFEST 2012
THE OBSESSED : Hellfest 2012
THE DEVIL'S BLOOD: Hellfest 2012
RAMESSES : Les Combustibles
All bands at THE DOOM OVER PARIS VI (not "biased" in any case ? )


- MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2013 :

CATHEDRAL : The last Spire

BLACK SABBATH (Rick Rubin, a miracle, please !)


And on a more personal point of view : the new album of BARABBAS :)


- please give us your own appreciations about this year and - if there’s any particular - your expectations for 2013 ?

2012, a year in blur  - not necessarily artistic, many uncertainties: am I on the right way of life? Where is this world going ? Why didn't I take the right train to Melun and what am I doing in Juvisy? So in 2013, I would like to see things a little more clearly in my existence (and no longer take the wrong train to home).


MARILENA Moroni
(Mari - Doommantia, Core of Destruction Radio)

- TOP ALBUMS OF 2012 (limited to 15)

1) Vassafor - Obsidian Codex
2) Om - Advaitic Songs
Enslaved - RIITIIR
Ahab - The Giant
At Devil Dirt - Chapter II "Vulgo gratissimus auctor"
Witchcraft - Legend
Kadavar - Kadavar
War Iron - The Fifth and Final Sun
Pallbearer - Sorrow and Extinction
Paroxsihzem - Paroxsihzem
Alcest - La Voyages de L’Ame
Bode Preto - Inverted Blood
Slomatics - A Hocht
Midnight - Complete and Total Hell
Derketa - In Death We Meet

... yes, I put the ranking only for the first two as for me they are the top. The other albums mentioned in my list are just a few of those I greatly enjoyed during this year.

But it is impossible to constrain such an impressive year. So I need to list at least a few more honourable mentions: Horse Latitudes – Awakening / Cult of Occult – s/t / witch Mountain - Cauldron of the Wild / Lugnoro - Annorstädes / Insider - Vibrations from the Tapes / Black Bombaim - Titans / Fistula - Northern Aggression + Loser / Golden Void - st / Okkultokrati – Snakereigns / Occultation – Three & Seven / Ravens Creed - The Power / Grime - Grime / Alkerdeel – Morinde / Unsane – Wreck / Dragged into Sunlight – Widowmaker / Furze – Psych Minus Space Control / Hypnosia - Horror Infernal / windhand - Windhand / Heat - Heat / V.A. - Önd: A Tribute To Enslaved (just awesome) / The Wandering Midget - From the Meadows of Opium Dreams / Seamount - / IV Earthmother / Hell - II / Antediluvian - The two 2012 splits / Stuff by Adamennon / Stuff by Ice Dragon and related projects / Filthy stuff by Elektrocutioner and the Razorback bunch / much of the roster in Nuclear War Now! Productions / Ihsahn / Eremita / Necronomicon / The Queen of Death / Morbid Wizard and The Disease Concept stuff / ...

- REVELATION(S) OF 2012 (limited to 3 - are you kidding? Sorry, too few!!)

Karcavul
Saturnine
Fuoco Fatuo
Black Temple Below
Blood Red Water
TONS
The awesome heavy scene in Chile (well, not right a new discover but a continuous surprise)
Necronomicon
Ishmael
Kadavar
Black Magician
Peacemaker
Druganaut (well, I discovered them just this year ...)

... but I could go on ...

Karcavul, from France, is probably the filthiest blackened sludge band I ever heard together with the Meth Drinker guys from New Zealand. Just impressive ... Inspired by bands like Karcavul, Cult of Occult, Grime etc., I included some Italian bands in my list. These bands are devoted to some crushing and filthy heaviness and are contributing in building up a new, impressive, quite dark, sick sludge-doom scene parallel to the by now wide and appreciated Italian groovy psych stoner-doom scene. It is like a small revolution so far but is giving great results.

- TOP LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2012 (limited to 5)

- Roadburn 2012 (my highlights: Oranssi Pazuzu, Valient Thorr, Necros Christos, Jucifer, Black Cobra, The Obsessed, Voivod, Virus, ...)

- Nuclear War Now! festival

- Dublin Doom Days: Chapter IV

- Sleep

- Nasum

... Well, I've seen many many gigs this year both in Milano and somewhere around Europe. So the list above is by no means adequate as I had to leave out, for example, Doom, Aura Noir, Kadavar, Wooden Shjip, Baby Woodrose, Fatso jetson, Diocletian, Eyehategod, Katatonia, Napalm Death, Alcest, Abysmal Grief, Haggatha, Weedeater, Iskra, Red Fang, Converge, Hands of Orlac, Grime, ...

Roadburn is a unique experience as a whole.

The other two festivals I listed as a whole were awesome and very well organized. Also there you could enjoy and get the most of ALL the bands if you want (and I was keen). This is a cool side of smaller fests, as whenever I'm back from monster Roadburn I always regret for the many bands missed due to impossible overlaps. But, well, Roadburn is Roadburn ...


- MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2013 (limited to 5)

Portal
Unida
Windhand
Clutch
Peacemaker
plus all the other surprises ...


- On a more personal point of view, please give us your own appreciations about this year and - if there’s any particular - your expectations for 2013 ?
Eh, musicwise 2012 has been monster. Well, every year ends up being so much overflowing with great albums and discovers that it seems impossible to do better. But the following year the trend goes on ...

So I am sure great expectations for 2013 will be rewarded with plenty killer stuff.

But the really great thing I would hope to see is Doommantia's Ed Barnard being able and being helped to get out of the bleak tunnel of the big problems that have been afflicting his life during this year and still vex him.

I am glad that he found the force of keeping his creature Doommantia alive even if it has been difficult. So I am proud of being still part of the crew.

As to my 2012 activity beside Doommantia, well, I would like to mention three things.

The first is that I keep on collaborating with Core of Destruction Radio. In May 2012 it was my first full year with that crazy bunch. I grew further proud of such collaboration because this year I got two particularly honourable "colleagues": Mike IX Williams (Eyehategod) and Jesse Kling (Morbid Wizard, ex-Fistula, ex Sollubi etc.) as DJs!

The second thing is that I have been involved in a new Italian underground webzine called The New Noise (www.thenewnoise.it) which is new and rapidly growing. No wonder, as its founders, Michele Giorgi and Fabrizio Garau, are in the scene since a long time and were behind another, great webzine, the now extinct Audiodrome. I feel very honoured for that as well.

The third thing is related to a group that I started a bit more than one year ago in Facebook, called "Directory of Booking/Promoting Agencies for Underground Bands". Behind this pretentious title there is the attemp of gathering and sharing as many useful infos as possible as an aid for underground bands while organizing their own activity (gigs, labels, webzines, even artistic issues) as well as connecting bands for exchanging tips, helps and posibly dates. The activity is going on, infos are being collected and shared and many bands, even big ones (e.g., Karma To Burn) asked for help and were able to find it. Right in this period many requests are coming in for organizing tours for next spring 2013. Any new addition of bands and info are most welcome!

Thanks and Happy 2013 to everybody \m/ \m/

http://www.facebook.com/groups/183577841714689/


JOSHUA Adam Hart (CHOWDER)

- TOP ALBUMS OF 2012

1.) Anglagard - Viljars ôga
2.) Rush - Clockwork Angels
3.) Arboretum - Out Of The Fog
4.) Torche - Harmonicraft
5.) The Blood Of Heroes - Waking Nightmare
6.) Elephant9 with Reine Fisk - Atlantis
7.) Stinking Lizaveta - 7th Direction
8.) Magma - Felicite Thosz
9.) Revelation - Inner Harbor
10.) Witchcraft - Legend
11.) Monobrow - Benington Triangle Blues
12.) Swans - The Seer
13.) Orange Goblin - A Eulogy For The Damned
14.) Unsane - Wreck
15.) Napalm Death - Utilitarian


 - REVELATION(S) OF 2012

1.) Grateful Dead - American Beauty
2.) I cannot stand festival concerts.
3.) I will never appreciate music like I did when I was 20 years old.


- TOP LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2012

1.) Rush - 9/9/12 Jiffy Lube Live - Bristow, VA
2.) Dream Death - 4/21/12 31st Pub - Pittsburgh, PA
3.) Blood Farmers - 6/16/12 Blue Pig - DOTD II Cudhay, WI
4.) Cock Sparrer - 5/18/12 Union Transfer - Philadelphia, Pa
5.) Roger Waters - 7/12/12 Verizon Center - Washington, DC


- MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2013

1.) Godflesh
2.) Blood Farmers
3.) Dream Death
4.) Age Of Taurus
5.) The Messenger


- On a more personal point of view, please give us your own appreciations about this year and - if there’s any particular - your expectations for 2013 ?

This year was full of high highs and low lows for me. A total roller coaster of emotions. I'm mostly happy that Passion Rift finally saw the light and that some people enjoyed it. It really was a big deal to have a full length release of my music out there after almost 30 years of playing. I hope Chowder will continue to write, record and perform as often as we can in the future while trying to enjoy middle age and handle my responsibilities gracefully.


JASON Barker (TRILOGY)

1.TOP ALBUM : The new Black Cowgirl blew my head off!!

2.REVELATION  : "Speak happiness, we're sad enough without your whoahs" to not complain so much,or at all really.

3. TOP LIVE PERFORMANCE : Internal Void and Valkirie at Cafe 611.

4. MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUM OF 2013 : The new Trilogy!!!!

I appreciate Matt Dayton for bringing Trilogy together.... I appreciate Fezz and Tony for being, not only the best musicians Ive ever had the pleasure to write and perform with. They are also the best people to be around period.

I expect 2013 to be a very good year for Trilogy!! With the new CD in its final stages we are taking a break from performing live so we can concentrate on writing new material. This spring we're coming out strong. Thanks Stephane, for all you do for the scene. I appreciate you as well.



SCOTT Harington (Three Thirteen Inc Artist Management)

TOP ALBUMS :

1.order of the owl - in the noon of the after day (electric mind records)
2.givethemrope - givethemrope (burn your world Records)
3.lord fowl - moon queen (small stone records)
4.ichabod - dreamscapes from dead space (rootsucker records)
5.elder - spires burn / release (meteor city records)
6.cortez - cortez (bilocation records)
7.strong intentions - razorblade express (patac records)
8.summoner - pheonix (magnetic eye records)
9.hour of 13 - 333 (earache Records)
10.nether regions - into the breach (abnormal gait records)
11.pallbearer - sorrow and extinction (profound lore)
12.pilgrim - misery wizard (metal blade records)
13.witch mountain - cauldron of the wild (profound lore)

 

 

NACHO (KAYROS)

 

TOP ALBUMS OF 2012:

 

1- neil young "Psychedelic Pill"
2- yajaira "vuelve a arder"
3- melvins "Freak Puke"
4- high oñ fire "De Vermis Mysteriis"
5- soungarden "King Animal"
6- neil young & crazy horse "americana"
7- orate ·"el ave madrina"
8- saint vitus Lillie: F-65
9- mark lanegan "Blues Funeral"

 

 

REVELATION(S) OF 2012: nothing

 

TOP LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2012
neil young & crazy horse, central park, new york
kyuss lives , live at metal fest , stgo, chile
roger waters , the wall, live, at stgo, chile
bob dylan, live at stgo , chile
slayer , live at maquinaria fest, stgo, chile

 

MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2013

the new lps from: qotsa
alice in chains
mudhoney
Vista Chino
The Brothers of the Sonic Cloth

 

hope for 2013 that the world walk a little less crazy, to stop wars, the bankers go to jail and the heavy guitars and psychedelic sounds continue breaking skulls


DAVID (SLOMATICS)


Top Albums:Beak ">>"
Drokk "Music Inspired by Mega City One"
Torche "Harmonicraft"
Conan "Monoss"
Eagle Twin "The feather tipped the serpent's scale"
No Spill Blood "Street Meat"
Dinosaur Jr "I bet on sky"
Corrosion of Conformity "ST"
Trash Talk "119"
Slabdragger/ Meadows "Split"
 

Revelations of 2012

Headless Kross
No Spill Blood
 
Top live performances of 2012
 
Conan in Belfast
Headless Kross in Edinburgh
Sleep in London
Mono in Belfast
Melvins in London
 
Most anticipated of 2013
 - New albums by CONAN, Headless Kross and Beak
 
Highlights of 2012
 - Playing the Incubate festival in Tilberg
 
Hopes for 2013
-  More shows in Europe - BOOK US AND WE WILL COME!!!

*****************************************

Did you enjoy this but didn't read 1st part ? 

it includes the BEST OF 2012 from cool people involved in LORD VICAR, ICE DRAGON, PILGRIM, THE OUTLAWS OF ZEN, STOIC DISSENTION, ALUNAH, ABRAHMA, IN THE COMPANY OF SERPENTS, OTIS REAPER, BALAM, HUATA, STONE ANGELS, THE WICKED LADY SHOW, BITTER RESOLVE , TIME TO BLAST, THE SLUDGELORD, etc...

check it out now : http://templeofperdition.blogspot.fr/2012/12/best-of-2012-part-1.html