Out this Halloween, Weed Priest's "Consummate Darkness" delivers a sound consistent with its album art, and will blast you with about 40 minutes of heavy, sludgy doom reminiscent of Belzebong, with similar quality.
I usually stay on the trippier side of doom, but Grownman shared this with me after Cursed Monk Records passed him along a demo copy, and it is highly worthy.
"Vampyr" is the track we're allowed to share at this time. It and "Sky Daddy" are my two early favorites.
Weedpriest are from Galway, Ireland and were first formed in 2009. Since then they have released a demo, an EP, two splits and a full-length album prior to hooking up with Cursed Monk Records. They are:
Adamus de Sabbator - Guitar, Vox K.H. Rhaagulus - Bass Sean "The Tormentor" Sullivan - Guitar Migorr - Drums
"Consummate Darkness" should appeal to fans of Belzebong, Ufomammut and to some Church of Misery fans as well. Pre-order here to get "Vampyr" now and the rest on Halloween.
Ok, so I'm a metalhead, not a mathhead. On Friday I started this 5 part column naming the 50 albums you need to hear from 2014 by only naming 5 albums. If you're a little smarter than me you'll realize that math doesn't add up. So here I am writing part 1A to give you the next 5 that should have been in part 1.
[BLACK/PROG/FOLK] AGALLOCH - THE SERPENT AND THE SPHERE
Agalloch is band with a storied history whom people have high expectations for and Agalloch never misses the mark and this is no exception. The Faustian Echoes EP last year was much more "Black" than usual Agalloch music and I myself wondered if this album would go in that direction but they've actually embraced their progressive tendencies more than ever.
[DOOM] VESTAL CLARET - THE CULT OF VESTAL CLARET
Riffs upon riffs upon riffs under the vocals of man of many great bands, Phil Swanson. The best classic Doom album of the year and I'm sure it'll remain that way.
[BLACK/DOOM] PREDATORY LIGHT - DEMO MMXIV
Sometimes lurching, always atmospheric metal that blasts you in all the right places. Sometimes this kind of stuff tends to feel never ending but I just want this 2 song 17 minute demo to keep going. With memorable riffs, atmospherics and a production job the fits the music, I can't wait for a full length.
[HEAVY/SPEED] BLACK MAGIC - WIZARD'S SPELL
This is just solid Heavy Metal that has gone under the radar. For some reason I haven't seen much promotion of them from their awesome label, High Roller Records. Think Show No Mercy era Slayer. Also contains their demo which is a little more in the tradition of first wave Black Metal. Might be my favorite album of the year so far.
[BLACK/SLUDGE] LORD MANTIS - DEATH MASK
Music every bit as off putting and filthy as the transgendered zombie on the cover of the album. Filthy guitars, filthy, rippiing vocals. Their debut Pervertor made my top 5 when it came out and I'm fairly certain this one will end up there too.
Hello Heavy Metal Textbooks readers! I am Professor Fork Tongue and I'm here to answer your Heavy Metal questions, just make sure to raise your hands first. Anyway, I'll being doing a column here where I'll be covering great new releases and old obscure gems that have been buried by time and dust. In the mean time to familiarize you with my tastes, allow me to introduce to you my top 10 releases of the first half of 2013!
#10. PRIMITIVE MAN Scorn
Audio doom. And I don't mean the style of metal. I mean, dread, despair and DOOM. While this is Doom Metal, it isn't your grandpappys style of Doom. This is heavy, blackened, sludgy doom in the vein of the mighty Coffinworm Nothing peaceful or serene, just uncompromising, bludgeoning riffs.
#9. LANTERN Below
Simply put, one of the best Death Metal releases in the last several years. Old school early 90's Death Metal without sounding like a retread OSDM act . Great production also with a real cavernous sound but yet still very clear. Add in some heavy atmospherics and some Doom elements and you have yourself a contender for Death Metal album of the year.
#8 DEVIL Gather The Sinners
Metal is rarely this catchy especially when it's Garage Rock Doom Metal complete with 70's analogue production. The thing that sets it apart from the other bands of this ilk are the more gruff vocals and the Punk spirit that runs throughout. To me Doom is the premiere form of metal at the moment and Devil is one of the best at it.
#7 JOEL GRIND The Yellowgoat Sessions
How can you go wrong when the main man behind Toxic Holocaust decides to do a side project dedicated in sound and aesthetic to early era Bathory? You can't, that's how.This whole album rips and I've probably listened to it more than all but my #1 but I gotta take some points away for essentially being a cover band.RIP Quorthon.
#6 DARKTHRONE The Underground Resistance
If you haven't heard Darkthrone since their Black Metal heyday then you're really missing out. They've made great Crust Punk albums since and with this one they go (almost) all out Traditional Heavy Metal. I'm talking Agent Steel, Mercyful Fate kind of stuff. Seriously. Without a bad album in their catalogue and constantly evolving, Darkthrone is easily the most consistent band in Metal.
#5 MAGISTER TEMPLI Lucifer Leviathon Logos
This is a band that came out of absolutely nowhere to me. This is their debut LP, I heard no buzz about them beforehand, no demos, no nothing. When I happened to come across a teaser track they leaked online I was blown away. Traditional Heavy Metal in the old style with some NWBHM influences, what really carries it are the vocals. I'm not sure if they are for everybody but goddammit I love 'em. Oh, and RIFFS.
#4 TORTURE CHAINMutilating Astral Entities
This here badboy was only released on cassette at Chaos In Tejas a few weeks ago and is completely sold out. Nor is it on Youtube. Truly kvlt. But relax, it's too good to not be released in other formats. US Black Metal. If you think USBM can't stand up to our brothers from Norway, you're in for a surprise. Every demo Torture Chain has done before this is great and really upped my expectations for when they release a full length. Well, expectations meant. I wish I could provide a sample but here's there full demo from 2012 so you can get a taste.
#3 ENFORCERDeath By Fire
Call them a retro retread act, call them cock rock or a novelty, call them whatever you want. Enforcer brings us back to a time when Metal was more about fun than who can be more grim than the next guy. They balance somewhere between NWBHM and Speed Metal and goddamn is it awesome. If you can't enjoy this than you're just an asshole, it's that simple. Great musicians, great songwriting and songs you're going to actually remember months from now! Gasp! What a novelty. Memorable songs are a rarity in Metal these days and trust me there's a bunch of songs here you'll be waking up with in your head.
#2 SACRIPHYXThe Western Front
In their debut LP Sacriphyx takes Death Metal, elements of Doom and Black Metal combined with war themes and creates what is destined to become a classic. Other bands have done this but not the way Sacriphyx has. While most bands focus on the violence, Sacriphyx focuses on the emotions of war. Fear, despair, honor, valor and tell a story. The whole album is based off of WWI battles and even with growled lyrics they are able to convey all these emotions perfectly. A well thought out history lesson of a Death Metal album. Whodathunkit?
#1 MAGIC CIRCLEMagic Circle
Local Massachusetts Hardcore kids from bands like The Rival Mob who thought the could make a Doom Metal album and uh boy, where they right! Loosely musically comparable to bands like both Pagan Altar and Pallbearer and of course the indominable Black Sabbath,what really sets it apart is the vocal performance. Ozzy-esque with out the nasally voice it really pulls the whole album together and they are even better live. Great, memorable songs that can be played over and over without getting sick of them. The marks of a true classic.
There you have it you pencil neck geeks, my best of the first half of 2013. Hopefully the 2nd half is just as fruitful!!! See ya soon!
