Posts Tagged ‘Occult Rock’

Metal Sucks: Into The Coven – Women of Occult Rock (by Kim Kelly)

Posted on Monday, November 21st, 2011

I suppose “occult rock” is a handy enough term for it, anyway; it’s easier than stringing together “70’s-influenced psychedelic doom rock” to describe the aural spells these wicked women weave.

The Devil is bigger than ever (bigger than the Beatles!) and the chorus of converts singing his praises has grown louder with every Ghost album downloaded or pig’s blood-smeared Impiety shirt sold. Rock’n’roll has always been the Devil’s music. Bluesmen gave it its desolate soul, but in the late 60’s, Coven draped it in black velvet, lit the candles, and sacrificed it, fanning the flames straight back down to Lucifer.

In the ensuing decades since Jinx Dawson and her merry men first married black magic with heavy psych, plenty more women have ventured down the left-hand path. The following bands aren’t truly metal, but they flirt with enough occult references and genre staples to warrant a free pass.

Any band / musician who can tour with Electric Wizard, call half of Watain their BFFS, rock the stage at Roadburn (or, you know, essentially introduce the concept of Satanism to American rock music way before even Black Sabbath or Pentagram were beckoning us forward) the way they have already boasts enough cred to put half the crowd at MDF to shame.

So here you have it, a handful of my favorite feminine purveyors of occult rock – most of them are vocalists, but a couple of them play other instruments as well. I definitely want to hear from you guys on this one, as this particular sound occupies a place very near to my metal heart. The thought of including Chelsea Wolfe and Zola Jesus (recent discoveries that I am unabashedly loving) crossed my mind but they seem a too close to the gothy end of the spectrum to warrant inclusion (good call/bad call? Wolfe’s Burzum cover was pretty neat).

JINX DAWSON

Alongside England’s Black Widow, Coven are credited as being one of the very first rock bands to embrace occult imagery and outright Satanic references, and chanteuse Jinx Dawson also claims to be the true progenitor of the “devil horns” (though Dio may have had something to say about that). The band released their first album, Witchcraft Destroys Minds and Reaps Souls, in 1969 after signing a contract with Mercury Records in their own blood.

Continue reading:  INTO THE COVEN: WOMEN OF OCCULT ROCK | MetalSucks.

Tags: Alia O’Brien, Blood Ceremony, Coven, Farida, Jex Thoth, Jinx Dawson, Kim Kelly, Metal Sucks, Occult Rock, rose kemp, Sabbath Assembly, the devil's blood
Posted in 2011, Playlists, Roadburn Recommended | No Comments »

In Solitude Live at Roadburn 2011 Audio Stream

Posted on Thursday, November 17th, 2011

Please relive In Solitude live at Roadburn 2011 courtesy of VPRO 3voor12. The audio stream has been mixed by Marcel van der Vondervoort at Torture Garden Studio. Feel free to post your thoughts or share your memories about the show in the comment box below.

Saturnalia Temple and Year of the Goat Confirmed For Roadburn 2012

Posted on Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

We’re are excited to announce that blackened doom metallers Saturnalia Temple and occult rockers Year of the Goat have been added to the lineup for Roadburn Festival 2012. Sweden’s occult blackened doom metallers Saturnalia Temple are gaining a well-deserved buzz from the metal underground by laying down lysergically thick distorted riffs, ...read more

The Devil’s Blood Stream The Thousandfold Epicentre in Full At Vpro 3voor12

Posted on Monday, November 7th, 2011

Occult rockers The Devil’s Blood are streaming their new album, The Thousandfold Epicentre in its entirety at Vpro 3voor12 in preparation of the record’s release on November 11th via Ván Records. Listen to The Thousandfold Epicentre in full HERE.  

Gothic Psychedelia Newcomers Purson Confirmed For Roadburn Festival 2012

Posted on Friday, November 4th, 2011

We are ecstatic to announce that London-based gothic psychedelia newcomers Purson have been added to the line-up for Roadburn Festival 2012. Named after a demon and fronted by the bewitching Rosalie Cunningham, Purson is the latest psychedelic proto-doom band with a mesmerizing female vocalist to cast a spell over everyone ...read more

Album of the day: The House of Capricorn – In the Devil’s Days

Posted on Sunday, October 30th, 2011

Lovingly pinched from The Obelisk: Like last their debut in last year’s Sign of the Cloven Hoof, the second album from New Zealander doom foursome The House of Capricorn – titled In the Devil’s Days – is cumbersome. Surpassing that record’s 59 minutes with a full 72-plus, they stretch the ...read more

Album of the day: The House of Capricorn – Sign of the Cloven Hoof

Posted on Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Lovingly pinched from The Obelisk: With one of the most beautiful cities in one of the world’s most beautiful regions as their backdrop, Auckland, New Zealand’s The House of Capricorn make their full-length debut with Sign of the Cloven Hoof (Swamps of One Tree Hill), and though it seems with ...read more

The Devil’s Blood: Track Premiere of The Thousandfold Epicentre Via Soundcloud

Posted on Friday, September 2nd, 2011

Occult rockers The Devil’s Blood have posted the title track from their forthcoming album The Thousandfold Epicentre online now at Soundcloud. Listen below.  The Thousandfold Epicentre will be released on 11 November via Van Records.

Album of the day: Devil – Time to Repent …

Posted on Thursday, September 1st, 2011

Lovingly pinched from Doommantia: If anything, Devil is the underdog’s favourite – has been for some time in the online community. See, back when I was a casual observer (read “just newly getting into doom and whatnot”) I witnessed the online music community bolstering Devil’s six-track demo as sort of ...read more

Swedish Occult Rockers Noctum Sign With Metal Blade Records (Blabbermouth)

Posted on Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

Metal Blade Records has announced the signing of Swedish occult rockers Noctum. Noctum was formed in September 2009 by Tobias Rosén (bass), David Indelöf (vocals / guitar) and Gustaf Heinemann (drums) during the growing of the globally well-known classic rock scene inspired by the late ’60s and ’70s. After a ...read more