ALBUM REVIEW: Satan's Satyrs, "The Lucky Ones"

By: John Reppion

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 19/10/2018

Label: Bad Omen Records |

RidingEasy Records

“The Lucky Ones” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Thrill of the City

2). The Lucky Ones

3). She Beast

4). Take It and Run

5). You and Your Boots

6). Too Early to Fold

7). Pulp Star

8). Trampled by Angels

9). Permanent Darknes

The Review:

What if, rather than dying in that car-crash in 1977, Marc Bolan had instead taken over guitar and vocal duties in Angel Witch, and decided they needed to tune down to couple of steps? It’s something we’ve all pondered, I’m sure, but thanks to Satan’s Satyrs we need wonder no longer.

“The Lucky Ones” is the fourth full length from the Virginia quartet, following their split EP with tour-mates Windhand, released on Relapse Records earlier this year. Once again the garage rock/proto-punk influences of MC5, Blue Cheer, Ziggy Stardust era Bowie, and all the rest, clash head on with NWOHBM dual guitars and chunky, swaggering Cock Rock riffs.

What are Satan's Satyrs? Are they a Glam Punk band? That sounds a bit shit. Are they a Retro Rock band? That sounds ever shitter. But they're undeniably a band whose sound, look, and attitude is rooted in the 1970s. Of course, the same could be said for a lot of bands in 2018, but Satan's Satyrs are a lot more The Sweet than Sabbath.

“Thrill of the City” is a tyre-screeching Stooges-like opener, with tasty Thin Lizzy twin lead work from Nate Towle and Jarrett Nettnin. “The Lucky Ones” like a raw, garage cover-version of some unlikely song you've definitely heard before, but somehow can't remember the name of. “She Beast”’s main riff is a weighty, sleazy Southern Rock strut with Clayton Burgess' chunky bass grunting away octaves below his pouty, boy-Bowie vocals.

“Take it and Run” is an acoustic driven number, equal parts Lizzy, T-Rex, and Ziggy. “You and Your Boots”' fat, chugging verses give way to straight up rock n roll choruses, with unashamedly triumphant leads which wouldn't sound out of place on a track by The Darkness. “Too Early to Fold”, similarly sounds like it could be some raw, rough and ready pre-“Permission to Land” lost demo.

There's more than a whiff of early Guns N Roses throughout the record, but “Pulp Star” is pretty much straight up L.A. Hard Rock. “Trampled by Angels” sounds exactly like it's being performed (mimed to, I suppose) on a 1978 Christmas edition of Top of the Pops. “Permanent Darkness” is the most thoroughly NWOBHM sounding track on “The Lucky Ones” and, as such, it's a strong closer – bringing the kitch levels down several notches.

So, to return to the question, what are Satan’s Satyrs? Is it possible to be a brand new Classic Rock band? Even if it is, that’s still not quite right in terms of describing what they’re up to. They’re more like a brand new proto-Classic Rock band – a band capturing the sound and energy of what happened in venues like The Rainbow in London in the lead up to the dull, grey 1980s, and the dawn of Stadium Rock proper. Sweaty, urgent, cocksure, and raw; as much as I can list all these forty-odd year old bands and artists that Satan's Satyrs undeniably sound like, there’s no sense that they’re a mere pastiche of what’s gone before. Whatever exactly it is that they’re actually doing, whatever you want to call it, they seem to be the only ones out there doing it right now, and they’re doing it well.

“The Lucky Ones” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Wytch Hazel, "II: Sojourn"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 13/07/2018

Label: Bad Omen Records

Just how good and revered this album is and will be is not yet known, but there is no doubt that all the elements are there for this to become at the least an underground hit.

“II: Sojourn” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). The Devil Is Here

2). Save My Life

3). Still We Fight

4). Wait On The Wind

5). See My Demons

6). Barrow Hill

7). Chorale

8). Slaves To Righteousness

9). Victory

10). Angel Take Me

The Review:

Undoubtedly the best medieval inspired hard rock band in the North West of England (!) Wytch Hazelare back with this second full length album. They have retained their vintage sound and peculiarly English sense of style on this excellent return. Much like their debut, “Prelude”, the band play very assuredly and with considerable flair; the guitar work is fleet footed and the rhythm section is very tight indeed.

If the band were going for a classic Wishbone Ash crossed with Thin Lizzy by way of Jethro Tullvibe... they have succeeded admirably. Messrs Downey, Lynott, Gorham and Robertson/Moore/White/Sykes (or Bell) would be hugely pleased if they came up with the fiery work displayed on “Save My Life” or storming opener “The Devil Is Here”. The word here is classic: classic sound, well delivered  songs and timeless in themes and scope.

There are bursts of pace (“Still We Fight”) to go with anthemic choruses. There are mellow and melancholy tracks (“Wait On The Wind”) and not a duff track in sight in the ten on offer here. This is English hard rock of the best vintage (1972-1978) and actually manages to conjure up the wistfulness  that the aforementioned Wishbone Ash did so convincingly on their classic “Argus” full length.

Just how good and revered this album is and will be is not yet known- it needs more time to bed in than the two weeks I have had it for review; but there is no doubt that all the elements are there for this to become at the least an underground hit. From the lush acoustics of “Barrow Hill” to the instrumental bombast of “Chorale”, the ingredients are here.

Wytch Hazel pursue the same path to its logical conclusion via “Slaves To Righteousness”, “Victory” and the closing “Angel Take Me”. The only possible fly in the ointment for some listeners may be the somewhat spiritual/religious aspect to the record- but it was there on the debut too. It doesn't bother me but you may feel differently; your call.

What we have here, then, are ten tracks of finely crafted English hard rock in the classic style. There are no songs about girls, no songs about cars, only loud guitars and a longing for another, simpler time. Fantastic.

“II: Sojourn” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

INTERVIEW: In Conversation with doom legend Karl Simon (Wretch/The Gates of Slumber)

By: Richard Maw

Karl Simon, formerly of The Gates of Slumber is back with Wretch- a street level doom band hell bent on bringing you back to reality with their traditional doom sound. Here we ask him about the band, the album and the upcoming European and UK shows.

Sludgelord:You have European and UK shows coming up, can you tell us what kind of set we can expect in terms of songs and if there are any surprises you might throw in?

Karl Simon: Well, we will be playing the majority of our record and a few TGoS songs that we feel are appropriate to this band.... maybe if people let Chris know they want to hear it we'll play “The Jury”. Which was first written way back when he was first drumming in TGoS on the old Sabbath Witch Demo 

Sludgelord:Is there any new material written for the next record?

KS: Yeah we are working on things as they come. You know it's a process. Write a song chuck it all away but one riff and start over. 

Sludgelord: The Judas Priest cover on your debut is a great choice. “Rocka Rolla” has always suffered a really bad press – certainly here in the UK. I have a lot of time for that album; what made you choose “Winter”to record?

KS: Chris really, really wanted to do it and it totally fit in with the vibe of our early jams, it was a cold and hard winter in 2013. 

Sludgelord: In terms of lyrical themes, the Wretch debut is less sword and sorcery and more down to earth; was this conscious choice?

KS: Yes, and this goes back to TGoS... we did “Suffer No Guilt” and it was something I was very proud of on a lot of levels. The record suffers from our inexperience and lack of budget and connections at the time, but the songs I think were some of the best things we did.  That record opened up doors for us and we got to revisit what we were trying to do with “Conqueror....” also a good record, though I think both were too long!   And if I'm honest too quick back to back and so was “Hymns”, I'm actually stunned at how good the stuff on “Hymns” is when I hear it now - I couldn't imagine playing like that again.  But, lyrically it suffers, badly because we were trying to do "a thing".  Gates could do music very quickly, but I didn't have the words on that one.  “Death Dealer” is pretty much a trope, it's not something I was really proud of lyrically, and I was kicking the edge of my abilities as a guitarist as well.  That was Jason's record on all fronts: better songs, better words... everything.  But I couldn't do the "Conan Crushing Doom" thing anymore.  

When we got Clyde on drums for” The Wretch” I had already been working on much doomier more Vitus-ized riffs and songs and his playing totally brought that crawling doom thing out in us.  Jason still had that bug on his mind lyrically but a lot of stuff was changed in the studio.  In a sense if “Hymns” was his record, “The Wretch” was maybe mine?  I dunno.  That's for other people to decide.  

It felt good to sing things more from my life; and I think the audiences connected with those songs more than with the earlier stuff, more on an "I can relate to that" level.  A song about a giant spider will appeal to some folks, but a song about being in the depths of depression or the desolate feeling of rejection or a relationship falling apart... everyone connects with that.  

With Wretch I wanted to continue to make that kind of music.  Make those kind of songs.   

Sludgelord: Having played with Chris Gordon on the mighty “Suffer No Guilt” opus, was he an obvious choice for Wretch? He has done a great job on the album- grooves and powerful playing.

KS: Chris and I just play very well together I get his drumming and he gets how to play to my guitar stylings. We did right out of the box.  I like to jam, Chris likes to jam.  I mean we fight about every week and I'm sure he's love to shoot me.  But we do work well together.  

Sludgelord: How did you get Bryce Clarke involved with the band?

KS: He was a player I'd seen around and I liked his style a lot. And one day I saw his lady in the bar I work at and I asked what he was up to, he came up and I played him some rough recordings Chris and I had done.  He was interested.  Gave him the demo and he came to the first jam knowing all the stuff. We came up with the coda jam at the end of “RIP” that day. He just took bass solo over the 8th note drone part and Chris and I just played along.  All doubts were gone from my mind then. 

Sludgelord:The power trio is a great band format -there are fewer people to argue with for a start- was it your intention to maintain the format with Wretch, as you had done with TGOS?

KS: Yeah, I mean I know Chris would like a keyboard player and or a second guitarist... and there are times I think it would be cool. And then there are times when I'm like "I fucking hate singing I wish there was a singer out there". But in the end nah. The sound is what we have.  Chris is the drummer, Bryce is the bassist, and I sing and play guitar.  That's the sound and it works. 

Sludgelord: The biggest bands in metal are now getting closer and closer to retirement; do you think that young bands will always come up, or are death, trad, doom and all other sub genres destined for something akin to the modern rockabilly scene - conventions, festivals and nostalgia only?

KS: Probably the latter.  I mean the legends of doom are playing the same clubs a band like us plays. You know? This is a cult thing with a crowd that is also getting older.... and who knows what is going on with this music thing anymore?  

I gave up on worrying about the scene and all that shit years ago.  

Sludgelord: Having read interviews with you in the past, it seems that you have really dedicated your life to doom metal: Is it a high price for a small reward, or have you got out of all this what you wanted?

KS: Well... ... I have gotten what was there to get.  If you think there is money in this. You're wrong.  Over the years people have gleefully hurled the "sell out" thing at me.... and rightly so - I did the same idiot shit; the circle is complete. 

I don't think you can set out to do Doom Metal, it's something you kind of have to have in you, maybe more than any other style of music. 

I've been in a semi depressed state since I was 5 years old.  I remember being that young and realizing on some level how futile and dumb the world is.  And I've not been proved wrong.  The depressions found a home in Ozzy's voice and Geezer's words. And in Wino's voice and Chandler's riffs and words.  The depression found a friend in drugs and booze.  

At this point man I've seen more of Western Europe than almost anyone in my town.  I've met some awesome people.  I've played some great shows.  So what there is to do, I've done. 

Sludgelord: You are playing Roadburn prior to your UK tour; are there any festivals or places you want to play in Europe or the UK which you haven't done in your career yet?

KS: Oh tons.  Lots of places I'd like to play again

Band info: official || facebook