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PALE DIVINE - "ETERNITY REVEALED"
PORN - "WINE WOMAN AND SONG"
QUALONE - "S/T"
RED GIANT - "DEVIL CHILD BLUES"
SONS OF OTIS - "X"
VALIS - "HEAD FULL OF PILLS"
YOB - "THE ILLUSION OF MOTION"
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PALE DIVINE
"ETERNITY REVEALED" [ CD - Martyr Music ]
After being oblivious to the manifold talents of Pale Divine it was with great joy I reviewed
their excellent debut, "Thunder Perfect Mind" and, naturally my expectations were pretty
freakin' high for their new offering, "Eternity Revealed", so it is with a mighty exhalation
of relief that I can say that we have an explosive album more than worthy of the hallowed
moniker of doom.
Pale Divine have delivered a full-bore, twin barrelled blast of planetoid heavy, lysergic doom. Pale
Divine's sound is a smart hybrid of Penance, Sabbath and The Obsessed which ultimately
means yer in the right place for some solid, low-geared guitar thrills! DOOM BOOGIE, MOTHERFUCKERS!!!
The album opens respectably with the thunderous tracks "Morphia" and "Crimson Tears" but it's "Sins Of The
Fallen" that generates some genuine excitement via it's powerhouse rhythm section and "The Obsessed" style
song arrangements. This track also contains the first of many pyrotechnical wah-wah solos, authored
by the clearly talented singer/guitarist, Greg Diener –in fact "Sins of the Fallen" is where I really
started to lose myself in the album, and a startling, nod-worthy riff it is too!
Outside of their uniformly solid playing the umbilicus which truly links both albums is the bold use
of wah-wah, and for those listeners with a penchant for said FX pedal, [nodding my head furiously!] well,
roll up them sleeves and plump up a juicy vein or three as y'all will get hit
after euphoric hit on "Eternity Revealed" [needless to say Solace fans will also find much to enjoy here!].
The riffing gets a little murkier on "Martydom" and the doom-laden grooves engender a more
Iommi-esque soundscape and is one of the album's many highlights, which only highlighted
the joyous dearth of filler on "Eternity Revealed."
Just a smidgeon over midway mark of, "Eternity Revealed" we have the bloody heart of the
album and a barnstorming track replete with one of the catchiest doom guitar break downs
I have heard in a stone age, yet again Mr Diener doesn't skimp on the meat, as he wields a
riff so weighty, Lou Ferrigno himself might induce a cardiovascular infarction shifting it!
"Serpent's Path" will secure a place in my play lists, "Serpent's Path" and the extended, flamboyant
wah-wah solo will have you throwing shapes like a sex-crazed Raccoon!
Wannabe axe hero's or fearless air guitar aficionados like myself will have a field day with
this doomonic track…without a shadow of a doubt my arse felt the righteous kick of Pale
Divine here... DO IT!!!
"Everafter" lays on a gloriously luxuriant 'Sprit Caravan' guitar groove which is a pleasant
antidote to the frenzied "Serpent's Path" and again proves there is far more to Pale Divine than
either generic doom posturing or lacklustre Iommi worship –a good solid track with a
serviceable, rolling riff which is guaranteed to get your broadswords rattling! [and, yes, it's replete
with yet another wah-wah freak-out –NICE!]
Pale Divine are obviously not one to skimp on quality riffs as there is another doozie on "Drowned Out", which
has a cheeky, infectious groove containing such paradoxical properties that it will both bliss
the listener out and kick your ass at the same time!
To rely on a crude metaphor the penultimate track, "Lord of Sorrow" is quite simply a motherfucker, armed
with a ballistic, weighty, brontosaurus-sized riff that wouldn't seem anomalous on a Black
Label Society album, where Greg Diener has a Wylde time with his harmonics, which add a
nice flourish to an already joyous tune.
"Lord of Sorrow" kills with the efficacy of the Ebola virus, and for me this is where Pale
Divine really shake loose their doom shackles and rock out enthusiastically, revealing the graphite
hard, streamlined V8, very metal engine that roars majestically beneath their generally doomy
veneer -Any listener should be in no doubt of Pale Divines resolute ability to lay on the heavy
with the best of em' here; "Lord of Sorrow" is a heavy metal track to cherish, and I will excise a
much loved testicle if you don’t immediately press the repeat button.
Personally speaking, "Lord of Sorrow" would've been a perfect song with which to end a
sterling album but the final track is a Candlemass cover... now even the best cover version reeks of
redundancy, admittedly they can be amusing, but ultimately there is something extraneous about them –I think
to end an album with so much quality original material with a turgid version of "Solitude" is a little
baffling, doubly so considering Pale Divine have written their very own
Solitude in the form of "Lord of Sorrow" [Candlemass are far too iconoclastic
a band to cover... trying to replicate Candlemass is as foolish as attempting to
photocopy a fart].
To whit a bill replete with Solace, Internal Void & Pale Divine would be utter Doom nirvana, as all
three bands are criminally undervalued and Pale Divine are a talented band much
deserving of your support –while Pale Divine don't take any transgressive leaps for doom metal's posterity, they
do nonetheless deliver some of the most infectious, pleasurable head-nodding doom you are likely
to hear this year, and thus far with two grade A quality releases under their belt, one sincerely
hopes Pale Divine are around for considerably more.
The album’s highlights are "Serpent's Path" and "Lord of Sorrow" are classic and any true metal fan
would be remiss to not include them in his or her collection. Pale Divine –For those about to Doom I
salute you!
STANCE RATING: MAXIMUM
jason
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PORN
"WINE WOMAN AND SONG" [ CD - Small Stone Records ]
Wine, Women and Song are three of the Devil's playthings, says the cover and inside page
of the new Porn record. I guess we could add the slide guitar and volume are two more of the
Devil's playthings.
The part of the Devil will played for this review by Tim Moss, guitarist, founder
and guiding force of Porn. It's really easy to cast Moss in this role, I mean, there's just something
inherently creepy about all the music that he's made, whether it was with Ritual Device or
The Men of Porn. Moss just exudes dark seediness, both with his voice and with his guitar
sounds.
On his newest release, there is obvious veil of maleficence and sickness. This is evident before you even
open the CD case. The cover is a pallid, bloated boy/cherub done in chiaroscuro style reminiscent of
the old Italian masters. The painting style serves to enhance the cherub's sickly/sweaty sheen, and the
fact that it's reclining in some of post-coital or heroin-induced bliss provokes deeply unsettling thoughts.
Once you've actually put the CD on, the lyrics bring overt drug references, satanic references, and
much more unsettlingly, the refrain from "Last Song", during which Moss states repeatedly "I saw you looking
out my window last night." This is made even lewder by the fact that the production places
him behind you and leaning very close to your era while he says it.
The vocal production makes the most of Moss' somewhat limited singing ability by moving him all over the
mix to alternately maximize his howling and his more personal speaking/incanting style. Devil Moss clearly ]
channels the dark side, but he's also a relentless innovator and maximum volume hound, both
of which are traits I admire.
His latest backing band is the all-star team of Billy Anderson on bass [and production] and Dale Crover on
drums. Calling them rock solid is no hyperbole. Moss takes this behemoth [and consistently interesting] rhythm]
section to the furthest reaches of space and stoner rock and then sends back twisted and plaintive
missives with his nearly human sounding slide guitar howls.
"Wine, Women and Song" moves from these deep spacey jams to sharp, angular riffing with complete ease. There
is a tremendous amount of ebb and flow on the whole record, with long quiet builds setting up supremely
satisfying riff bashing. Throw in some great songs, stellar production and a monster rhythm
section, and you have that most elusive of records, familiar enough to be easily digestible, and
complex enough to listen to over and over.
In contemporary terms, this record thouches on Ufomammut, Kyuss, Jesus Lizard, Melvins and
Fuckemos. In classic terms there are traces of Black Sabbath, Hawkwind and Pink Floyd. A very tasty melange
indeed, all served up with super loud and heavy production destined to destroy iPod headsets
the world over.
This has the hallmarks [earmarks?] of an album with tremendous staying power, it's consistently heavy and
consistently interesting. So good it's sinful!
drew
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QUALONE
"S/T" [ CD - Lucid Haze Records ]
Is there a musical nexus between the likes of Black Sabbath, Led
Zeppelin, Kiss, Pink Floyd and The Move? Well, I think there is, and it's called Qualone.
Referring to Quaaludes 714 on the insert back of the cover art, the band,
made up of former Plaster members, delivers a psychedelic wall of sound that
is pleasingly heavy, trippy and very familiar sounding.
Yet Qualone can't be pigeonholed as a rip off or a generic stoner band coz' their take on
psyched-out heaviness is really fresh, injected with strangely
effected rhythms, leads, dreamy sounding vocal harmonies, layered guitars
and a vintage, 'real' sound -the most marked characteristic of the band's
"S/T" debut album.
Add to that the infectious use of vibe-meandering journeys via fuzzy riffs and soaring
leads which evoke a heady psych feeling that plays off well against their riffrock
stylings. So it comes as no suprise that Qualone makes a mockery of some of
their musically single minded peers. The band's debut S/T is a fine, honest statement that
deserves to be heard by a widest possible audience. Who's up for some
Psychedelic-Jam-Heavy 70's-Riffrock?
walter
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RED GIANT
"DEVIL CHILD BLUES" [ CD - Small Stone Records ]
The late, great Ian Hunter wrote the splendid tune "Cleveland Rocks", a glorious track tinged
with his requisite irony, but these Cleveland-based Zepp-heads DO ROCK, AND HOW!
I’m not gonna nonce about here...
Red Giant's "Devil Child Blues" is some meaty, sexy
riff-mash, and while some albums take a few tracks to come to the boil, this mighty
groove cannon fires out a bona fide rock missile the second you slip "Devil
Child Blues" into your phonogram, and that sonic blunderbuss is called "White Mom."
Turn up that dial, slip into some oily frayed denim, imbibe some potent ale and let
Red Giant remind you why listening to Black Sabbath was always gonna be a good
idea. Even before "White Mom" shook the plaque off my yellowing bicuspids I couldn't help but enthuse
at their gloriously heavy metal artwork. Can one get any MORE METAL than a mutant, cloak
wearing, killer knight slaying a cowed and fiery hellspawn? no, I didn't think so!
This pictorial heaviness adds yet more grist to the fact that Red Giant are a hard driving
riff rock band with a more than devilishly amplified nod to the likes of Mountain, Sir
Lord Baltimore, Granicus [also from Cleveland!] and the wondrous Bang.
Yes, they are gloriously anachronistic, and yes this is so 1970's it should really be
issued as an eight-track, and come with a free iron-on transfer but why quibble when Red
Giant kick out jams so immense Ted Nugent couldn't tame 'em with his biggest elephant gun, and
any band that has the nuts to write a lyric like "I killed a Cobra in the basement" gets all
my fucking love... Man, I cracked a smile so big when I heard that line my bastard
brain fell out.
There have been many high profile releases this year that failed to deliver anywhere near the
bludgeoning rock thrills of "Devil Child Blues", and this, their sophomore effort, is a
rockers wet dream; wildly potent, libidinous, diaphragm stretching vocals from
bestial sounding duo Alex and Damien, whose greasy, muscular guitars are so hopped
up on gasoline and high balls it's probably not the best idea to listen to this near
a naked flame.
And frankly, the musical discharge on this album is so volatile
that it’s likely to combust of its own volition. This band know rock, like Motley Crue
know cheap pussy, and that sounds like a heap of good times to me.
YES, I LOVE THIS ALBUM... and it swings like Kitten Natividad's elephantine Boob Tube, and if you dig
on macho guitar-noise, flame-grilled Riffs, beer you'll gobble this up like a heavy
metal cookie!
Red Giant provide the ultimate soundtrack to a hedonistic evening of bacchanalian
excess, an album that can sit quite comfortably in any era... and the production is bang on, spitting
out "Devil Child Blues" with all the venom of a wounded rattlesnake, and yet more proof if it
were needed that old Nick really did write the best tunes as do Red Giant.
Red Giant, along with Five Horse Johnson, Halfway to Gone and Orange Goblin are making
some of the most addictive riff rock of the modern age.
STANCE FACTOR: MAXIMUM STANCE!
jason
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SONS OF OTIS
"X" [ CD - Small Stone Records ]
The advent of a new Sons of Otis record is always a combination of
expectation and dread. Expectation in that the band consistently produce
great records, dread in that, like Spinal Tap, the band seem plagued by
minor and major problems during recording!
This time around, the problem isn't keeping hold of their drummer, but
that the recording was done without the support of a record label. Fortunately,
this has since been rectified and "X" will be released in early 2005 by
Small Stone Records.
So, with the line-up of Ken, Frank and Ryan intact from "The Pusher", what
does the new record sound like? Similar to all previous Otis outings: thick
sludgy riffs underpinned by a pounding rhythm section and heavily
delay-processed vocals swirling in and out of the mix.
The difference between this record and the previous full-length "Songs for
Worship" is apparent after the first few spins of the record. "X" is far
more compact. The songs don't sprawl as much, the drums aren't too forward
in the mix [a problem that made "Songs for Worship" pretty unlistenable to
these ears] and the songwriting is a welcome return to the more bluesy
style found on "Templeball."
Drone fans won't be disappointed in any way
with the Earth-like ambient drone of "Eclipse". Overall, however, the tracks
are just more 'interesting' than on the previous record.
Highlight tracks for me include the juggernaut opener 'Way I Feel', the
grooving 'Help Me' and the Hendrix-inspired 'Liquid Jam.'
As a bonus for those that missed out on "The Pusher" 10", a new version
of the track appears here featuring some searing lead work from Ken and
massive drumming from Ryan.
The only track I find weak is '1303' which, apart from being a bit simplistic,
features some hideous squeaking noise out the guitar at the end of each bar
which overstays its welcome almost immediately.
Production-wise, the CD is a bit rough in places especially given that the
tracks were essentially recorded live off the floor. However, the echoic
nature of the church they recorded in does give 'Eclipse' a massively
Satan's cathedral feel!
Billy Anderson's production is suitably bottom-heavy,
but feels more subtle than his usual work. He successfully brings out the
heavy in Otis' sound without compromising Ken's signature warm, overdriven
guitar tone.
This album is a great improvement over "Songs for Worship" and yet another
top-notch release from Sons of Otis. Hopefully it will enable them to get
the exposure and success they deserve.
a.
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VALIS
"HEAD FULL OF PILLS" [ CD - Small Stone Records ]
As I hear it, Valis know what they're capable of, and they have every right in the
world to flaunt it. Hence, they bless us with "Head Full Of Pills." It took a few spins throughout
the course of two or three days, but there came a point when I thought, "Oh, okay. This makes
sense, now." Ever since then, it's been my firm belief that this, right here, is the
future of Rock 'n Roll. Oh yes, my friend, it will evolve into this at some point.
Other listeners may or may not have the same epiphany. Either way, the fact remains
the same: If listeners slip into that certain subjective mindset, they will eventually
realize that every song on this album is stellar. Each one of these tracks is a virtual
reality trip into your wildest and most bizarre dreams.
The Conners once again display their talents in all areas concerning guitars. The warm, almost
soothing bass tones of Adrian Makins are not heard but absorbed through osmosis. Sean Hollister tears
some serious shit up behind the drum kit with a righteous display of drumming.
And, to top it off, Wes Weresch provides the extra spice, the extra 'Trip' that is just as mandatory
of an element to the band than anyone else. It's true, the talents of Mr. Weresch behind
the keys as well as behind the soundboard is exactly what administers the musical
foresight that is Head Full Of Pills.
With five active members in Valis, it's really no surprise that "Head Full of Pills" offers an immense
experience that arouses all five humanoid senses: Feeling the monstrosity of "World of Decay" shake the
walls; the fact that you can start to smell AND taste gasoline fumes 30 seconds
into "Motorbike"; seeing streaks of multi-colored cosmic trails whip by while
riding warp 5 in "Voyager"; hearing the exalted bliss of "Across the Sky." And this is
just half the album, people.
Though the music may alter itself, the vocal chords of Van Conner remains a steadfast
co-pilot. This, coupled with mind-expanding lyrics and some badass backup vocals, provides a narrative
to help this trek of an album ride out smoothly. Fear not, for you are not alone!
Valis have created a musical prophetic vision. Head Full Of Pills is an interactive
projection of what is to come: This is not just an album; this is an experience
where you are, indeed, The Voyager.
dr.jones
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YOB
"THE ILLUSION OF MOTION" [ CD - Metal Blade ]
YOB return with their third album, "The Illusion of Motion", so from the point of synchronicity
alone this should bode well for any curios listener. Then consider the impressive doom wallop
these riff warlock's generated on their previous two outings meant I for one was dashed keen
to peel back my ear flaps and see what this bowdlerising trio had come up with this time.
No longer on an independent label, YOB have been engulfed by long established Metal
Blade, which makes them about the heaviest and most idiosyncratic band on their
roster. If you are a first time visitor on planet YOB you will immediately notice that the
band don't do brevity and this is no understatement as the titular track alone
comes in at an epic 26 minutes!!!
These musicians don't concern themselves with immediacy, but it is all about generating a collective
and soul enveloping ULTRA-HEAVINESS which engenders a palpable atmosphere of crushing, dynamic
intensity, and for those not alre ady schooled in the ponderous delights of Doom metal
might on first exposure to their attenuated album track be somewhat perplexed by it's gleeful
avoidance of anything approaching velocity.
That said, YOB have always been outspoken advocates of Doom and "The illusion of Motion" is their
greatest epistle of the slow thus far... a loving ode to slo if you will.
The first track is "Ball of Molten Lead" which opens quirkily with some psychedelic
textures and a wash of shimmering guitars, replete with Syd Barret-esque
mutterings, which then neatly segue ways into a spine jarring doom breakdown
where the opressive guitar tone plums the stygian depths only to submerge with a wickedly
pounding groove.
And it is at this exact moment where the doom acolyte will loose
himself entirely in the lush, almost cloyingly dense riff storm ahead... both lead axe warrior, Mike Scheidt
and mean-ass Bass Hombre Isamu Sato lock each other down in a tantalizing and damagingly
infectious riff furrow and the careful listener will clearly notice a strong Matt Pike influence
on both the guitar playing and succesful use of extreme heavy dynamics -needless to say
any fans of Sleep's "Dopesmoker" will eat this up with a bloody spoon.
What I find most appealing about this album are the many psychedelic interludes, which lace
their way through the majority of the album, added to this are the true highlight of any YOB
experience. Mike Scheidt's wondrously eccentric vocalising where he shifts
dramatically betwixt apocalyptic death metal bellows [neatly avoiding any generic cookie
monster foolishness] to a less schreechy Mustaine and this technique is used to perfection here.
Mike S. has got muscular, schizoid pipes and they are maximized to chilling
effect here, and I really feel he is a vocalist of great originality, and this fact alone
lifts the band way above any accusations of mediocrity.
Track two, "Exorcism of The Host" doesn’t disappoint and whips up a dense, tumultuous
Doom aria which indulges in plenty of magnificent tectonic shifts, all the while
drags the listener to a state of joyous near inertia.
My pick of this classy album is track three, the bluntly titled "DOOM#2" which won't suffer under
the trades description act as it does exactly what it says on the tin, and it is the only
track which toys with urgency as the riff opens at a fair pace [in DOOM terms, naturally] and a
what forceful and killer groove it is, again.
We have yet more intense, subsonic bass playing from Herr Isumu, and his leviathan bass
sound is matched effortlessly by one of the heaviest riffs YOB have ever wielded, and for 6 glorious
minutes they lay waste to your cranium with hellish abandon. This track is murderous, and
could sit quite happily on any High on Fire album.
The final titular track "The Illusion of Motion" may well prove to be a divisive one, for me
it is a bold, transcendent composition which illustrates the wealth of textural possibilities
inherent in Doom metal, but that said I can also imagine that some listeners may tire
of the demands made by a track stretching to almost half an hour and it is in my opinion a risky
way to draw a close to so fine an album.
This mammoth track will polarise people as to the validity of writing a 26 minute song, [this may
well be the first ever example of progressive doom!] in it's favour Mike, Isumu and ace
drummer Travis Foster are clearly masters of this genre and technically it's flawless, and to the
more patient, dare I say it, adventurous listener it reveals many facets with it's almost kaleidoscopic
shifts in tone and pace [and besides it delivers some of the weightiest power
chords I have heard in a LOOOOOOONG while].
Again, YOB take on heavyweights like Isis Neurosis or early Godlesh and come out with nary
a scar. It fairly boogles ones mind when imagining the explosive possibilities of
performing this song live, methinks some suitably lysergic lightshow might prove
a winner! Like, far frigging out!!! My advice would be to adjust your lighting to
an ambient level, stretch out, indulge in your favourite method of mood
enhancement and let this glorious track confound and delight the many pleasure
receptors your brain has to offer.
The mix is suitably meaty and superbly rendered by Mike Scheidt and Billy Barnet and is also
subtle enough to allow all the many divergent flavours of the band come to the
fore... and yes IT'S VERY FUCKING HEAVY!
Strong contender for doom album of the year.
jason
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