DOUBLE SHOT

SON OF A WITCH: COMMANDED BY COSMIC FORCES

I posted tunes from this band's first album here and here, and noted that Son Of A Witch might be headed for elite status in the list of Brazilian heavy rock bands, and I can report that the quality of this second release is beyond reproach.  The songwriting has taken a turn since Thrones In The Sky.    The new album is not as 'in your face' heavy, but is more melodic and attentive to mood and atmosphere.  The band clearly worked hard on this album, and show an attention to detail that few bands can match.  King Lizzard has upped his game and shows some nice diversity in his vocals.  Check out "Black Clouds Of Lies", which was one of the pre-released tracks. It's such a great ambassador of what this album has to offer.  Volume, and your patience, will be rewarded soon enough: 

Son Of A Witch are (from left to right):
King Lizzard : Vocals

Psychedelic Monk : Guitar

Gila Monster : Guitar
Old Goat : Bass
Asteroid Mammoth : Drums

I'm still partial to Thrones In The Sky, but the new ground that Cosmic Forces has broken proves their rock prowess, and has definitely given Son Of A Witch pre-order status for me from here on.

MONKEY3: SPHERE

Released in mid-April, with a sell-by date of "whenever you're ready to take a heavy trip", Monkey3's "Sphere" is rock gold.  Switzerland's Monkey3 have been around for close to twenty years now, and are kind of the Pink Floyd of Stoner Rock.  They play a very unique blend of progressive rock, heavy metal and stoner rock that at no point ever makes you ask where the vocals are.  If you commit your time to these longer tunes, you'll find them as engaging as could be, and if you're not impatient, the heaviness of "Sphere" will find you.  Check out the opening track, entitled "Spirals": 

Monkey3 are:

Walter - Drums

Kevin - Bass
Boris - Guitar

dB - Keys

The rock music in 2019 has been epic, and  we are soon to get new albums from Nightstalker, Planet Of Zeus and TOOL, and I'm hoping that Rainbows Are Free will get their new material out this year as well.  

How are you feeling after this double-shot?  Are you OK to operate heavy machinery?

Go forth and drive safe, and rock till you can't rock no more

-ULTRA

REANIMATED REVIEWS

These Two Won't Stay Down

I gave both of these a brief review in a past post, but probably didn't do them enough justice because neither will sit peaceably.  Each is shuffling forward, intending to inflict more auditory destruction.  Check it out:

CHURCH OF MISERY: "and then there were none..."

Bassist Tatsu Mikami is the only original member remaining in the band, but with the new lineup of Scott Carlson on vocals, David Szulkin on guitar and Eric Little on drums & percussion, Church of Misery has turned the corner and gone from awesome to elite.  This album is about as destructive as the killers it is written about, and is true metal perfection.

Here is track 2, "Make Them Die Slowly".  It is about John George Haigh (pictured below), a British serial killer from the 1940's who dissolved his victims' bodies in sulphuric acid before forging papers and selling their possessions.

DieSlowly from Ultra Sounds on Vimeo.

SON OF A WITCH: "Thrones In The Sky"

Brazil's Son Of A Witch has put out such an impressive debut album, it's scary to think of how great this band will be years from now.  Band members Ling Lizzard on vocals, Psychedelic Monk and Gila Monster on guitars, Old Goat on bass, and Asteroid Mammoth on drums have put out a heavy metal masterpiece on their first try.  Fifty Eight minutes of slowly developing but relentless riffs, with really well thought out movements within each tune, if you are patient enough to let them develop.  This album puts on a clinic on how metal should be done.  Frequently compared to Egypt, who I really like, these guys are way better. Here is the album's closer, "Jupiter Cosmonaut:" Stick with this one and you will be rewarded.  

You can purchase "and then there were none..." here:Church of Misery on Rise Above Records, and "Thrones In The Sky" here: Son Of A Witch on Bandcamp

Going to be away next weekend, but will scout out something cool to post when I get back.  

Over and out   -ULTRA

 NEW ALBUM BLITZKRIEG

Here is a track each from three new albums

CHURCH OF MISERY: "And Then There Were None..."

I love the way this album was recorded.  This is the best sound an already awesome and devastatingly heavy band has had to date.  "River Demon" is an early favorite for me:

SON OF A WITCH: "Thrones In The Sky"
If Son of a Witch's next album is even close to as good as this one, then they may very well be headed for the same category of greatness as fellow Brazilian metal bands Sepultura and Soulfly. "Thrones In The Sky" is available on bandcamp .  It contains five tracks, clocking in at just under an hour of music.  Here is the album's opener and title track, "Thrones In The Sky."  Check out the awesome heavy sound, and the band's ability to keep the tune interesting for the entire ten and a half minutes:




DOPE SMOKER: Marijuana
This band from Wales has a limited repertoire in terms of what it is trying to accomplish, but what they do, they do really well.  Some tracks are a bit boring, but there are several that I really like.  They have a Kyuss-inspired sound, delivered with a cool vibe .  This is track seven of ten:     "Legalise It" (the main lyrics in four of these ten tunes)
This album is "Name Your Price" too, so if you liked this track, go download the album and you'll find several others just as good.

That's it until next weekend; Stay Heavy!

-ULTRA