Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats - Blood Lust (2011)

Electric Wizard led me to Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, and I do admit I consider the latter to be an evolution on the other's sound, making it a fraction more mainstream and adventurous in the process since they bring in a lot of other 70s influences to the Sabbath style, namely the Beatles. If you heavily fuzzed out the Beatles, gave them cool horror lyrics and an edge, this might be the result, Uncle Acid is like the nexus between Hammer Horror, distortion-drenched pop rock and the Rise Above roster. They have never let me down on a single album, and though they've recently moved on to a more theatrical, progressive leanings, I still listen across all their catalogue fairly evenly, with the possible exception of the debut, which was decent but crushed by Blood Lust in almost every category.

From the opening notes of "I'll Cut You Down", the sophomore is just brighter and more creatively conceived, with a nice pomp to the bass tone, and a rhythm guitar that constantly evokes nostalgia and atmosphere no matter how primitive some of its trudging riff structures. K.R. Starrs' striking vocals give you an Ozzy vibe without really channeling the Prince of Darkness, or perhaps they live up to the band's moniker by sounding like a psychedelic drug trip giving a voice. The feedback and distortion used on these and the guitars are excellent, it gives you that washed out, raw feeling not unlike Electric Wizard, especially their records around this same period, but the difference is in the songwriting, these never feel like garden variety evil doom songs, the menace is "Death's Door" or "Curse in the Trees" is how they groove along like a dude in a pair of bell-bottoms kicking perceived scorpions around his feet. The bass playing is simple, but I like how it curves up to those fuzzy guitars, and the drum kit here sounds pretty awesome too, though like their peers, it never needs to be too technical or flashy...

Just lots of fills and crashing, and in fact they're interesting in psyche pieces like the proggier "I'm Here to Kill You" that they'd probably sound great even without the other instruments. But all combined, this band is a total force to be reckoned with, and Blood Lust is compelling throughout its 43 minute length, from the catchy chorus of the opener to the belligerent flow of "Ritual Knife", the glorious voo-doom of "Withered Hand of Evil", or the almost 70s pure 'eavy metal' charging of the main riff in "Over & Over Again". The one exception for me is the acoustic finale "Down to the Fire", it's nice to turn off the amps perhaps and does eventually seem like it's going somewhere, primarily because Starrs' voice works well with the louder acoustic guitars, but it feels half-formed to me and just doesn't add much to what is already a bananas great freaking record. I could live without that, but otherwise Blood Lust is one of the best albums in an obscenely consistent catalogue. Nothing complex, just let it hypnotize you until you resemble the woman on the cover.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

https://www.uncleacidband.com/

Bog Wizard vs. Dust Lord - Four Tales of the Strange (2021)

I've already covered the 2020 album From the Mire by Michigan's bong soaked Bog Wizard, a rather adventurous hybrid of acid washed stoner doom metal and fantasy gaming nostalgia. They've returned here on a fitting split EP with Colorado's Dust Lord, another newish act which has also independently released its debut last year. Sonically, the two bands are a fine pair, although there are some slight deviations in their thematic and atmospheric approaches which distinguish them. Ugly, huge doom metal tones, taking the Sabbath roots and drenching them in sustained distortion and vocals that occasionally make Ozzy sound like a harmless puppy. That's not to say we're dealing with songwriting on a master level like those British originators, but I think folks who are really into this saturated, evil stoner crush have two hopefuls here that, with a little tweaking, could become contenders to the thrones occupied by acts like Electric Wizard and Bongripper.

Dust Lord has the bolder production of the two, with voluminous guitars that groove along your nerves with note progressions that might not be original, but do their job. I'd say aesthetically this is the drier of the bands, going more for an in the in-the-face, traditional fare. Take a group like Fu Manchu and dial down the party and up the crunch levels. Interestingly, the first half of their first track, "Not Men, Not Women, Not Beasts" is a slow, loping desert-camouflaged sasquatch that then picks up with a slightly more uptempo stoner/metal with some harmonies, that introduces us to the pissed off vocals...I found this a bit more entertaining than what led into it, so perhaps that first half went on a bit long, and this is a crime also committed by "Career Opportunities", a lower drudge that also improves once the vocals and higher guitars arrive...just check out that fuzzy, mid-90s Cathedral-like break around the 6-minute mark when he starts spitting out the venom, that's what I kind of wanted the whole time.

Bog Wizard fares a bit better with me, I just love their gradual atmospheric builds, created by clean guitars and feedback before the molasses-thick marsh guitars start to ooze along into the track. I think the vocals on this sound even better than the full-length album, eerie post-Osbourne lines dispersed with some growlier vocals. The little drum fills are quite nice, giving the muck-tinged, steady rhythm guitar a little more of a 'march' feel. The stuff is still heavily rooted in fantasy, with tracks called "Paladin of Death" and "Gelatinous Cube"...now, obviously, there's a BIT of a bias with me on that last one. The G. Cube is my favorite D&D monster...I own the limited edition Funko Pop!...it's presence in Pixar's Onward is one of the many reasons that was one of my top movie picks of 2020. I'm not even a big fan of gelatin or Jell-O or Bill Cosby or anything, but I just love that corridor-cleaning atrocity and its slow, measured, flesh-absorbing menace. This tune is super interesting...from the chuggy rhythms that set it up, to that break in the middle with the ominous clean guitars that almost sound like drawn out, melancholic surf rock, the tinny little cadenced beats, and then the fucking FUZZ ERUPTION. This is actually music that a Gelatinous Cube could get down with, and I have to respect it for that...

All in all, Four Tales of the Strange is a decent if slightly lopsided effort. Dust Lord has the goods, but hammers them over your head after too long of a setup, whereas Bog Wizard is more interestingly composed in its hypnotic, subterranean aesthetic, meandering but only in a good way. My wife and sons don't like me doing drugs, but I can settle for this, doping up vicariously through the doom.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

https://www.facebook.com/BogWizardBand/

Chowder - Passion Rift (2012)

Chowder is not Josh Hart's first waltz in the doom ballroom, having put in many years in acts like Earthride, Revelation and Unorthodox; but it might just prove his most interesting and distinct when viewed against the other projects he's worked with. Formed far back in the 90s, and admittedly rather slow and sparse in its recorded output, the trio (also featuring drummer Chad Rush and bassist/cellist Doug Williams) became more active in the past 5-6 years, releasing first a demo and EP, and later recording the material for this album in the year 2008. So, already Passion Rift might seem a few years out of place, but frankly it takes such a fresh perspective on its composition that it's nonetheless timeless and compelling, because there's really little else I can think of that sounds quite like it...

Take an instrumental/stoner rock act like Karma to Burn and then amplify its inherent range of dynamics, then add in spaced-out elements like a Mellotron, multiple synthesizer waves and more eclectic and exotic instruments like a theremin, Taurus pedal, and cello. This is more or less the broth from which the sound is formed, and then splayed out in varied and fascinating riffs that keep a listener's attention regardless of the fact that there are no lyrics or vocals involved (apart from an occasional sample, like the Futurama bit used in "Insidious"). Individual tracks range from brief, extraterrestrial visions ("Mysterioid") to massive flights of atmosphere and primal ambiance (the 18 minute "Passion Rift"), and yet the album's sheer dramatic tension seems quite fluid and intact despite its jarring and oft disparate ambitions. Best of all, the riffs on this thing are fucking beastly, like the Primus meets Fu Manchu explosion "SaltCreep" or the darkened, twisting sludge bruiser "Custody" which closes out the album. Hell, some of the raw, explosive context of the writing even reminded me of wild Japanese schizo/funk/rock soundtracks to cartoons like Sakigake! Cromartie High or FLCL. Maybe a little Flower Travelin' Band alongside the Sabbath and Hawkwind.

The guitar tone and loosely 'jam' aesthetics remain consistent through the entirety, but otherwise they play with a lot of rhythms and tempos that are as often punishing as they are psychedelic, pissed off as they are progressive. I found myself wondering throughout Passion Rift if I would have preferred a vocal presence, and am left relatively undecided. I can't think they would hurt any, especially a unique, aggressive voice, but at the same time their absence doesn't really hinder the music all that much, due to its reflexive and relatively free form nature. Chowder feels like a cockfight between the whimsical and darkly-mannered, and it's served well by a bright, bold production that doesn't sacrifice its jamming and driving ethics for excess, overdubbed plasticity. I can't say that every single riff here sticks, and occasionally the transitions will seem a little sporadic for their own good, but as someone who has suffered so much samey stoner/desert rock, sludge and doom, this trio has so much going for it that they're bound to impress anyone seeking a more transcendental variety betwixt these niches. Passion Rift is fun, frivolous, and ferocious, both in looks and sound, and I hope we'll experience more of this project in the near future.

Verdict: Win [8/10]

http://www.facebook.com/chowderdoom

Idol and the Whip - Heavy Sleeper (2011)

Though I've not heard Idol and the Whip's debut Revelator from 2007, I've been exposed to their former band Supercontinent's Vaalbara, a crafty piece of atmospheric sludge managing to eschew many of the boring tropes of the genre. Idol and the Whip itself features three members of Supercontinent, and it's a decidedly more 'fun' project, sort of a mix of heavy stoner groove roasted in metallic elements; a midpoint between Foo Fighters and High on Fire, if you will. Massive guitar hooks, aggressive vocals and a surprising level of melodic awareness are the primary characteristics of Heavy Sleeper, and it succeeds in rocking the face off far more often than it doesn't. Far more.

Most of the tracks are kept short and to the point, and very near all of them are catchy as hell, beginning with the instrumental "Future Eyes", a surge of big, swerving chords and traditional dual melodies that pump the listener's expectations before the ballsy, fluid rush of "Wasteland Battle Hymn" which is like desert rock cranked to 11, so thick it almost trips over itself. Others that I completely lost myself to include "Grasscutter" and "Broken Crown" for their monstrous grooves and amazing vocal layering over the guitars; the angry and choppy "Ley Lines", the peppy melodies and basslines of "Nocturne", and the forceful sludge of "Watery Grave". The closer "Calling Down the Dark" is also a pretty sweet joint, like a more rock & roll alternative to Neurosis. Probably the only cut here that slightly missed the mark was the lengthy "Augur", in which the riffs were simply too boring, similar aesthetics being channeled more fluently through "Artery" or "Heavy Sleeper" itself.

The mix of the album is quite good, with thick and juicy guitars that make all the difference, tribal rock drumming and Chris Plumb's lyrical delivery which is reminiscent of bands as wide as Tad, High on Fire, Clutch and Neurosis. I had a lot of fun listening through this, probably more fun than Supercontinent, which is now apparently defunct. It's truly a surprise that this band hasn't been snapped up yet, they've got an accessible element to their music that would cross over to a variety of scenes, from the stoner sect to the sludge mavens to the more mainstream rock crowd. Heavy Sleeper already sounds as professional as something like this is going to get, so labels should certainly take note, as they might have the next sensation at their very fingertips. An entertaining sophomore and easily recommended to fans of anything I've name dropped in this review, or The Sword. What's even more amazing, the album is available for free from the band's site, with an option to donate a buck for higher quality. Jump on it.

Verdict: Win [8/10]

http://www.idolandthewhip.com/

Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue (2009)

I've been needing a beer for a while... music-wise. For the past few years I've been sampling the sharp, biting taste of hardcore in all of its forms. The gentle and layered flavor of post and stoner rock/metal. The ethereal, absinthe-esque depths of progressive black metal. I still get the craving for a bold, sweet mug of melodic death. But a beer, in this case, would be modern rock. Most modern rock these days is... well, let me cut to the chase; It's shit. The riffs can sometimes be a bit catchy and chunky, but it's without the explorational qualities of the 1990's. True, it also comes without the rapcore tendencies of the late 90's and early oughts, but it still feels just as hollow and disposable. So when an old favorite was announced to be returning, I was loaded with mixed feelings: Greedily waiting to sap up new material from an old friend, but apprehensive about a band who has been on hiatus for over a decade and lost a very distinctive, identifiable lead singer. The new Alice in Chains would either quench my thirst with a delicious, carbonated blast of modern rock... or sit forgotten and barely touched, like a skunky old lager.

The album itself opens up with the familiar-sounding “All Secrets Known”. It's Alice in Chains through and through and, while it sounds like it would be more at home as a mid-album track on Sap or Jar of Flies, it's still good... it's just not what I would've been expecting. Most of their albums (and most albums in general) either start off with a nut-punching kickass tune, or have a 2-3 minute quiet introduction that leads to a nut-punching kickass tune. In this case, Cantrell and Company have decided to greet us with a down-tempo, layered stoner ditty. It's also a great way to show how William Duvall is able to hit those Chainsey vocal melodies that, along with Cantrell's signature guitar sound, are the trademarks of this band.

And that's pretty much how this album goes: It's Alice in Chains, from all their albums, in all their styles. It switches between slower acoustic arrangements, stoner-tempo riff jams with the trademark vocal harmonies, and straight up rockin' tunes - all of it with a dirty ethereal southern glaze, dissonance-made-melody overlay, and general feeling of despair. There's a noticeable absence of Dirt influenced material, but considering that album was practically written in a puddle of heroin, I wasn't expecting to hear much of that disc show it's ugly face on this album. Duvall doesn't jump up as the bands lead most of the cut, content on sitting in the shadows on his first outing (And for good reason). However, at the end of “Private Hell” (The best track on this album by far, for me), the newest member of this almost legendary rock outfit blasts out with a primal scream that shows that he is as capable as Layne was. It's a chilling few seconds, but it's also a preview of what's to come: Once Duvall gets more comfortable with the band, and once the fans start letting go of Layne's memory, we'll start seeing them running on all cylinders again.

And that's what this album is to me: It's shaking off of the rust. A lot of the riffs are great, but the songwriting sometimes falters. “A Looking in View” is an awesome 5 minute song that is 7 minutes long. Sometimes things are beautifully written but they clink hollow, like a drumstick hitting an empty beer bottle. The old men have easily shown up all these new kids like Theory of a Deadman and Nickelback (And especially Godsmack), but a few of these new tracks lack the emotional punch of “What the Hell Have I”, the fury of “We Die Young”, and the immediacy of “Nutshell”. That's not to say it's a bad album, because it really isn't. In fact, it's pretty fucking fantastic and probably the best rock album I've added to my collection since Agents of Oblivion. It just feels like the band has returned to their old haunts, the lights are off, they're fumbling about a bit with a flashlight for the switch, but there is still that old familiarity in the air. I just hope Black Gives Way to Blue is what I predicted, and not one of my favorite band's initial shallow, protracted slide into mediocrity.

I needed a beer, and Black Gives Way to Blue is just that: A full-bodied, robust brew in a world full of flat, watered down bullshit. It's unfortunate that it happens to be a light beer... but I'm full of hope that the next time the waitress comes by my table that it'll be just what the doctor ordered. Cheers!

Verdict: Win [8.5/10]

www.aliceinchains.com

Om - God Is Good [2009]

God Is Good is the fourth full length from Om, the first with new drummer Emil Amos after the departure of Chris Hakius -- Al Cisneros' (vocals/bass) counterpart from landmark stoner doom outfit Sleep. Amos fits right in, unquestionably bringing percussional flair to keep things interesting in a two-man skeleton crew of a band. However, as promised by Cisneros, there are new sounds to be found on God Is Good. Curious smatterings of woodwinds, sitar, clapping, piano and flute among others.

It seems with the departure of Hakius Om has almost shed their heaviness, for only about 9 minutes of minute duration I would consider metal. Even then, it's tenuous. "Thebes," the 19 minute opener, contains that portion of pseudo-metal, Cisneros chanting over his distorted Rickenbacker, some riffs familiar from previous albums. "Meditation Is the Practice of Death" is more about what modern Om apparently is. Experimental rock, with some ambiguous desert sound, world music with an interesting twist. Steve Albini returns to produce, and God Is Good has an incredibly rich sound, and it's a pleasant fit with the music. Cisneros' bass is creamy smooth, nicely coalescent with the miscellaneous percussion and instrumentation.

"Cremation Ghat II" is the final of the four songs, and my favorite, an instrumental piece that takes me to the harsh Fremen cave-dwellings of Arakkis when I close my eyes. It features the sitar heavily, along with some wonderful interplay between Cisneros and Amos. Since Om has moved from Southern Lord to an indie label (Drag City) perhaps this more light, worldly sound is their future. It's at once disappointing and exciting to me, as I love the heavier work of Om, but at the same time I can get behind this new sound and direction. Or, maybe the next full-length will return to the rhythmic sludgy onslaught of Pilgrimage. I'll be waiting eagerly.

Verdict: Win [8/10]

http://www.omvibratory.com/

The Freezing Fog - The Freezing Fog (2009)

The Freezing Fog is another of those bands who very successfully reach into the past (late 70s/early 80s NWOBHM) and yank forward a refreshing style amidst an overcrowded metal landscape. Though most would simply pigeonhole this band as another 'stoner' act, they are really so much more, because instead of rehashing the same five Black Sabbath/Deep Purple chords they write some pretty busy songs, all of which are composed well.

"In the Company of a Genius" wastes no time in setting a foundation of flowing, bluesy metal rhythms with both melody and power. This is like Advanced Stoner metal 101, imagine a more complex Kyuss or Nebula with a more melodic vocalist. The result = something that can impress more than just some washout deep in his papers and pipes, but the avid metal fan who fancies the old school sounds of bands like Angel Witch, Diamond Head, Tygers of Pan Tang, Praying Mantis, etc, but with that modern Queens of the Stone Age vibe. "The Dweller Upon the Threshold of Time" features further superb riffing, with some beautiful, burning stony rhythms below the bridge. Some other great songs are "Dusk Chorus Blues", "Ride Them Gently", and the closer excellent closer "Horizons" with its great speed metal riff breaks.

Vocalist Longsden has a very straightforward, clean tone which works for most of the album, but I would like to hear him change it up. The style reminds me of Sweden's Hellfueled, though Longsden doesn't venture into Ozzy vocal territory. Some grit and growl would really benefit this band, as the vocals do feel monotous in some of the tracks, but it's not that his voice is bad. As for the guitars and drumming, all excellent, and the bass flows through like a waterfall. This is a tight band, and I find their material far more interesting than stoner heroes like Queens of the Stone Age or Fu Manchu. Check them out if you want to hear a hybrid of the old and new.

Verdict: Win [8/10]

http://www.thefreezingfog.co.uk/

Vrangsinn - Moon Psychedelia Collection (2008)

I don't think that my head is nearly fucked up enough to understand what's really going on here, but I have to try. More properly known as the bassist of Carpathian Forest (and numerous other Norwegian metal projects), the Fabulous Holocaust Cowboy himself has decided to unleash misanthropic drug annihilation upon the world with his own project, a pop-tinged ode to psychedelia and madness.

Like* a piss-drunk Norwegian mocking America, Vrangsinn croons and squeals his antisocial way over grooving tunes created in some semblance of stoner rock. The feel is definitely reminiscent of Carpathian Forest's stranger moments, showing off a deranged playfulness that the listener may or may not be welcome to join. This similarity is heightened on some pieces, such as "Death is BEAUTIFUL", which incorporates blackened vehemence, snarls accompanying the poppy vocals for an extra heaping spoonful of discomfort. Other tracks have a harder edge - "Reality is a BASTARD!!!" turns up the heavy with muddy, detuned guitars, while "Visst faen, Det e var" is a punky affair that rocks by with a bit more anger than the rest of the tunes. However, the album certainly has it's elements of fun - "Holy Fucking Christmas Motherfucker" is a pretty hilarious track with rambling lines like 'Jesus was a pedophile I'm happy he's dead IT'S CHRISTMAS AGAAAIN' and the obvious chorus hook that I know I'll be shouting along with on future listens. There's a certain amount of sense to be wrestled from it all, but this definitely stands as a moment of insight into something that's not supposed to understood.

It was vaguely uncomfortable getting into Moon Psychedelia Collection, somewhat akin to having my brain touched in naughty places, but after a couple runs through each song, I suppose I've been perverted enough to enjoy it. The songs vary pretty widely in style and can be repetitive at points, although the rough edges do work in the context of the album as unique imperfections. I can't say that this is for everyone...or for many people at all, but I can say that adventurous listeners could do far worse than checking it out. It's distributed online for free to boot, so there's not much to lose.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://www.misantrof.net/testBand/mma_band.php?myband=45

http://www.misantrof.net/media/vrangsinn/album.zip
*not just like

Lord Vicar - Fear No Pain (2008)

After the Demon of Freedom EP teaser some months ago, Lord Vicar have returned with their debut full-length, featuring seven new songs (and no overlap with the EP). The style here is well executed early Black Sabbath worship, though you can certainly hear touches of the more contemporary Count Raven and Saint Vitus in the band's name, riffing, and vocals, which makes perfect sense: Chritus did vocals in both those bands. Nonetheless, if you're into this old school doom vibe, Fear No Pain is a good album worth hearing.

"Down the Nails" is a slow, drawling, 8-minute crusher, which immediately lapses the listener into that catatonic yet driven state despair, exemplifying effective doom metal. "Pillars Under Water" rocks forward with a grooving riff you'd expect on an Orange Goblin record, Chritus' Ozzy-like vocals really saturating the song with nostalgic fervor. "Born of Jackal" begins with a graceful acoustic segment that dissolves into glorious, sad melodic doom, followed by the pure, slow rock verse. The rest of the tracks on the album are considerably more epic, longer but never dull. "The Last of the Templars" is beautiful, with some bluesy solos and excellent guitar melodies. "The Spartan" is a tortured crusher, over 10 minutes long with very simple riffing. "A Man Called Horse" is one of my favorite tracks on the album, with flowing, doom grooves and soaring melodies which eclipse the verse guitars later in the track. The album closes with the 14 minute + "The Funeral Pyre", beginning with a lengthy acoustic section with vocals and then kicking some ass with its sparse, depressive riffing.

The mix is quite nice, the guitars are potent, punchy and raw, leaving space for the bass to flow below and percussion to shine. The melodies kick ass and Chritus has never sounded better. If you are a fan of traditional doom metal, starting with Sabbath and 'evolving' into bands like Saint Vitus, The Obsessed, and Count Raven, then it is only natural you should seek this out, because it is a fine example of the form. I'd argue its on par with just about anything Chritus did with his former bands, and very definitely worth checking out because it conveys just the right mix of nostalgia and sorrow.

Verdict: Win [8.5/10] (the sound is cold and clear)

http://www.myspace.com/lordvicar