Archive for November, 2011
Album of the day: Cardinals Folly – Such Power Is Dangerous
Posted on Sunday, November 13th, 2011
Praise for Cardinals Folly‘s Such Power Is Dangerous from San Francisco’s aQuarius Records: Yep, this is one of those that barely needs a review, besides our thumbs up (we like it!) and a few other crucial facts of the matter: it’s from Finland, it’s doom metal, it’s on the cult Shadow Kingdom label. And perhaps unsurprisingly, sounds a heck of a lot like the late great Finnish doomsters Reverend Bizarre. Which is not to say it’s unoriginal, any more so than Rev Biz, ’cause both bands worship at the altar of old school traditional Black Sabbath derived doom.
This is what they’re SUPPOSED to sound like: epic and emotive, dire and depressive. The debut full-length from Cardinals Folly (cool name, we think, but shouldn’t there be an apostrophe in there somewhere?) is appropriately sloooow and heavy, adorned with dramatic deep voiced vox, that for sure recall those of Albert Witchfinder. If you miss the ol’ Reverend, Cardinals Folly will be right up your dark, cobblestoned alley. But not only do they have that “sound” (which they do very well), they also work in enough interesting, creative moves of their own to make this a worthy doom endeavor in its own right, too.
The album begins with an atmospheric intro track, ‘The Hammer Speaks’, featuring a militaristic drum beat amidst distorted ambience, eventually joined by deeeep vocal intonations. A bit Current 93ish, really. That’s a fine way for this to slide into the full-on amped-up doom metal of track two, the title track, oven ten minutes of slow majestic riffery, dissonant downer psych leads, loosely-strung low end bass, and more of those droning deep but melodic vocal stylings…
Things speed up a bit for the chugging ‘Valkyries I Avenge’, energy matched by maniacal laughter from the vocalist (who has his insane side, heard later in the album as well), but it’s the very end of track four ‘The Spear Of Destiny’ that got everyone in the store staring at the stereo, when they start in with some studio trickery, messing with the tape speed, for a moment making this druggily ‘drag’, like a 45 played at 33, but even more warped and warbly. Nice!
And so it goes, seven tracks, well over an hour of rumbling heavier-than-thou true doom wretchedness from up near the Arctic, like we said, definitely for anyone into fellow Finns, Reverend Bizarre (RIP). Also Lord Vicar, Procession, Gates Of Slumber, Condenados, Garden Of Worm, The Wounded Kings, that sort of thing. You know if this is meant for you, or you for it…
At 40 years old, Aquarius is the oldest independent record store in San Francisco. We try to only carry music we love, and we’re always searching for more new, cool, weird and wonderful music. All of which we then share with you, our loyal customers.
Tags: Album of the day, Aquarius Records, cardinal's folly, doom, Shadow Kingdom Records, Such Power Is Dangerous
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Terrorizer: The Heaviest Albums Ever – The Albums Kerrang! Forgot
Posted on Sunday, November 13th, 2011
Our friends over at Kerrang! have done an actually rather splendid feature on the 50 heaviest records of all time. We put our heads together do our own top 20, and highlight a few they might have missed. 20. Acid Bath - When The Kite String Pops With the cover ...read more
Album of the day: Causa Sui – Pewt’r Sessions Vol 2
Posted on Saturday, November 12th, 2011
Praise for Causa Sui‘s Pewt’r Sessions Vol 2 from Norman Records UK: This is tripping my face right off. The first sold-out volume of Big Ron from Sunburned Hand of the Man’s psych jam excursions with Danish spacefacers Causa Sui caused much celebration in this sweaty hole of an office ...read more
Album of the day: High Wolf – Atlas Nation
Posted on Friday, November 11th, 2011
Praise for High Wolf‘s Atlas Nation from San Francisco’s aQuarius Records: French one man psychedelic loopscaper High Wolf finds his way onto our pal JW’s Holy Mountain label, and offers up another mesmerizing collection of collaged soundscapes and rhythmic mesmer, but unlike on past records where the High Wolf sound ...read more
Album of the day: Esoteric – Paragon of Dissonance
Posted on Thursday, November 10th, 2011
Lovingly pinched from Metal Review: Funeral doom is, in most appreciable ways, a niche within a niche. Forcing the listener to bear witness to a cripplingly slow march to oblivion is not, it must be said, the easiest way to win friends and influence people. Nevertheless, for those of us ...read more
Killing Joke Confirmed for Voivod’s Au-delà du Réel at Roadburn 2012 on Thursday, April 12th
Posted on Thursday, November 10th, 2011
Voivod and Roadburn are equally thrilled to announce that seminal post-punk pioneers Killing Joke will perform at Roadburn 2012 on Thursday, April 12th as part of the newly expanded Au-delà du Réel event. Killing Joke was at the top of Voivod’s wish list as soon as they accepted the curator ...read more
Michael Gira To Play Acoustic Solo Performance at Roadburn 2012.
Posted on Thursday, November 10th, 2011
While Swans intensely heavy headliner performance at this year’s Roadburn is still resonating in our collective minds, we’re elated to announce the return of Michael Gira for an acoustic solo performance on Thursday, April 14th at the Midi Theatre in Tilburg, Holland. Michael Gira will undoubtedly own the Midi theatre ...read more
Album of the day: Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. – The Ripper At The Heavens Gates Of Dark
Posted on Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
Lovingly pinched from The Sleeping Shaman: There are many uncertainties in life but you can always be sure that Acid Mothers Temple will continue to crank out album after album of claustrophobic, psycho-psychedelia from atop their Japanese mountain retreat, like crazed astronomers sending out distorted signals into the vast expanse ...read more
Saint Vitus Signs With Season of Mist (Blabbermouth)
Posted on Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
Season Of Mist has announced the signing of doom legends Saint Vitus. The band has just completed work on its eighth studio album, its first since 1995, for an early 2012 release. Saint Vitus’ current lineup features guitarist Dave Chandler, drummer Henry Vasquez, bassist Mark Adams and seminal vocalist Scott ...read more
Blut Aus Nord: New Album Streaming In Its Entirety Via Pitchfork
Posted on Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
Beginning today, high traffic music portal Pitchfork is streaming, 777 – The Desanctification, the upcoming new full-length from eclectic black metal legion, Blut Aus Nord. Set for release in North America via Debemur Morti Productions on November 29, 2011, The Desanctification is the second chapter in Blut Aus Nord ’s ...read more
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