ALBUM REVIEW: Bong, "Thought and Existence"

By: John Reppion

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 02/05/2018

Label: Ritual Productions

This is IMAX for the ears - rolling sound-waves as far as the third-eye can see - never boring, never repetitive, an ever evolving  journey through a riffed rift in time and space

“"Thought and Existence" CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). The Golden Fields

2). "Tlön Uqbar Orbis Tertius"

The Review:

"Thought and Existence" is something like the forty-fourth release from Newcastle's Bong and is officially their eighth full length studio record, which isn't bad going for a band that's been around for thirteen years. Trippy, heavy, hypnotic, psychedelic, euphoric, spacey, massive, awe inspiring, mythic... all good words which could be, and have been, used to describe Bong’s previous output (most recently 2015's epic "We Are, We Were, and We Will Have Been"), and all of which work equally well for this latest offering. I will probably use most of them again below.

"Thought and Existence" is thirty-six and a half minutes long and consists of two tracks: 

"The Golden Fields"opens with spacey gong-bath ambience and one of vocalist/bassist Dave Terry's spoken, sermon-like, poetic intros. Mike Vest's guitar drones swell, and swell, and swell and then Mike Smith's massive drums kick in. This is IMAX for the ears - rolling sound-waves as far as the third-eye can see - never boring, never repetitive, an ever evolving  journey through a riffed rift in time and space.  Smith's drums on "Tlön Uqbar Orbis Tertius" let us know that this is more of an overtly psych chapter; a second, more mesmerised, movement. Changes are subtle and unhurried, yet deeply effecting. Looping layers of drone which gradually grow in size and potency until your brain and body are vibrating at exactly the same fizzy-boned frequency. 

Bong are a band who can make a cover of Pink Floyd's "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" last half an hour and still be something that is an absolute pleasure to hear. 

"Thought and Existence" is a journey through sound, a genuine trip into and through the other-world the band conjures so expertly and effortlessly. Caution: Do Not Operate Heavy Machinery While Listening to Bong. Listening to "Thought and Existence" May Cause Out of Body Experience. Keep Out of Reach of Children.

“Thought and Existence”is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: 11Paranoias - “Reliquary for a Dreamed of World”

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 28/10/2016

Label: Ritual Productions

What sets 11PARANOIAS apart from other bands operating in the realms of psychedelic heaviness is the otherworldly atmosphere they conjure. Every note is enshrouded in a hazy fog that lends their music a darkly unsettling feel.

“Reliquary for a Dreamed of World” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Peripheral Metamorphosis

2). Destroying Eyes

3). Avallanius

4). Mutus Lieber

5). Meditation on the Void

6). Phantom Pyramid

7). Milk of Amnesia

The Review:

11PARANOIAS are a rare example of a super group that are as good, and possibly even better, than their constituent parts. Featuring Mike Vest (Bong, Blown Out, etc.) on guitar, Adam Richardson (Ramesses) on bass/vocals and Nathan Perrier (Capricorns) on drums, the band fully deliver on their impeccable heavy credentials, as demonstrated on previous LP “Stealing Fire From Heaven”. Expectations of greatness weigh heavy on new LP “Reliquary for a Dreamed of World” and 11PARANOIAS rise to the occasion and then some.

Opener “Peripheral Metamorphosis” wastes no time in getting down to business as the band launch straight into a huge, treacly riff. This track acts as a satisfying reminder of all that makes 11PARANOIAS great; minimal punishing riffs that bludgeon the listener senseless whilst elevating their consciousness to a higher plain, striking a delicate balance between hypnotic repetition and organic progression. What sets 11PARANOIAS apart from other bands operating in the realms of psychedelic heaviness is the otherworldly atmosphere they conjure. Every note is enshrouded in a hazy fog that lends their music a darkly unsettling feel. The band also show a rare grasp of dynamics, sometimes falling away to a hushed, restrained quiet that makes their ferocious onslaught all the more terrifying when it arrives.

11PARANOIAS marked themselves out previously by their inclusion of weirder elements that stretch beyond the standard boundaries of doom. “Reliquary for a Dreamed of World” sees them fully embrace these influences with incredible results. Monstrous, sixteen-minute highlight “Destroying Eyes” begins with their characteristic leaden riffs but as the track progresses the tempo slowly picks up until the track blossoms into a high octane stoner punk explosion. Relentless filthy baselines drive the track to ever-higher levels of intensity, a glorious racket that sounds like the Stoogesjamming with Acid Mothers Temple as Yobset the controls for the heart of the sun. “Phantom Pyramid” sees the band embrace extended periods of clean guitars to create an ominously intoxicating two chord slow burn that eventually erupts into molten distortion. This track sees them move away from doom to a more psychedelic rock sound although still crushingly heavy, like an iron-clad Bardo Pond.This bleeds seamlessly into the storming finale of “Milk of Amnesia”. Based mostly upon one churning riff of almost garage-rock simplicity, the band throws everything they have into a four minute adrenaline rush of primal ferocity. Its impact is all the more devastating in contrast to the longer, drawn out songs that precede and its unexpected immediacy makes for a brilliant end to the album.

“Reliquary for a dreamed Of World” is an incredible release from 11PARANOIAS. It sees the band raise their already impressive game to another plane with a cosmic onslaught on the senses that makes all other psychedelic doom bands sound like Oasis in comparison. This is the album that should make the band member’s other achievements irrelevant; what matters is that they were involved in the creation of this monumental record.

“Reliquary for a Dreamed of World” is available here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Zaum - "Eidolon"

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 24/10/2016
Label: I Hate Records

“What makes Zaum’s music so intoxicating is the sheer density of their sound. Layers of synths, sitars, flutes and who knows what else, build up to create a foundation of all-encompassing drone for the bands epic compositions.  Prepare to be transported to a higher realm.”

 

“Eidolon” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Influence of the Magi

2). The Enlightenment

The Review:

“Eidolon” is a term from ancient Greek literature that refers to a spirit-image of a living or dead person. It is an appropriate title for Zaum’s new album given the ageless, haunted soundscapes contained within.

Few bands can touch the New Brunswickdoom duo in terms of sheer hypnotic atmosphere. “Eidolon” sees them raise their game once more with two 20 minute behemoths, “Influence of the Magi” and “The Enlightenment” that build on their impressive previous releases. Imagine the relentless riff onslaught of Om circa “Conference of the Birds” combined with the wider sonic palette of their later work and blown up to symphonic scale. This will give you a good impression of Zaum’smind-expanding, heavy grandeur.

What makes Zaum’smusic so intoxicating is the sheer density of their sound. Layers of synths, sitars, flutes and who knows what else, build up to create a foundation of all-encompassing drone for the bands epic compositions. Chris Lewis’ drumming provides a solid backbone for these mammoth voyages into the beyond but Kyle McDonald’s bass is the key ingredient to Zaum’s success. From spacious, ghostly chords to crushing distorted riffs, he utilises an arsenal of effects to give the impression of the band being a mighty legion rather than a mere duo. There is a wide spectrum of vocals on display here too, switching from spectral chants to throaty roars and everything in between to meet the demands of these complex journeys.

“Eidolon” is another transcendent release from Zaumthat sees them go further down their singular path into the heavy unknown. Prepare to be transported to a higher realm.

“Eidolon” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

FFO: Om, Bong, Sleep, Earth