RECORDS OF THEIR YEARS....with Joe Rowland of Pallbearer

Few bands have had quite same impact as Pallbearer over the last 6 years. New LP “Heartless” saw the Arkansas quartet complete their journey from underground doom heroes to all-conquering titans of the genre.  Nearly 18 months after the release of “Heartlesss”, Pallbearer have toured relentlessly and perhaps when it was thought there was nowhere else to roam, the band are set to hit the UK this coming Monday 16^th July 2018, with five dates including a spot at Bloodstock. Recently I caught with Joe Rowland (bass) from the band, to discuss music, (what else) but more importantly albums from his birth to the present day.  Check it below.  

SL: Favourite album from the year you were born?

Joe Rowland: I had never really kept mental tabs on this so I had to a quick internet search, and much to my delight I discovered a few that certainly rank very highly (Jesus and Mary Chain’s‘Psychocandy’, Sisters of Mercy’s‘First and Last and Always’ and ‘Hounds of Love’ by Kate Bush) but there is a clear winner here for me: ‘No Jacket Required’ — I am and always will be an unabashed Phil Collins fan.  Starting with my dad showing me a live Genesis tape when I was a very young child, I immediately developed an affinity for his music, and I can’t even count how many times I’ve listened to this album. I don’t care if it’s not cool, as seems to be the pervading opinion nowadays. Phil Collins forever! 

SL: First album you bought with your own money?

JR: The first album I bought was a CD of some classical music. I don’t even remember what it was! At that point in my childhood it had been determined by the powers that be that it was against the rules in my household to listen to anything other than classical music. Once I had my driver’s license all bets were off though, and I committed the ultimate act of rebellion by going out and buying ‘My Own Prison’ by Creed on CD. Bonus answer, my first vinyl album that I purchased not too terribly long after that was ‘The Argument’ by Fugazi, which I’m pleased to say is significantly less questionable (although Creed is still good for a laugh from time to time, I’m not going to lie!)   

SL: Favourite non metal / rock album?

JR: This is a tough question… and my answer will possibly also be my answer to the following question as well. I’d have to go with ‘Hosianna Mantra’ by Popol Vuh. Popol Vuh is my personal favourite and overall most influential artist I would have to say. This album, despite not having my #1 Popol Vuh song on it, is utterly transcendent and I strive to inch closer and closer to making music that is as emotive and affective as this album makes me feel. 

Runners up (at the moment)

Popol Vuh, ‘Heart of Glass’

Brian Eno, ‘Ambient 4: On Land’

Klaus Schulze, ‘Moondawn’

SL: Favourite album of all time:

JR: I’ll mention my favourite METAL and Rock albums of all time here: 

For metal, it’s ‘Mob Rules’ by Black Sabbath. It’s perfect, I love everything about the riffs, Dio’s performance, Geezer’s bass playing and tone are 10/10. It’s just a great record that has a lot of “fuck yeah” gratifying moments on it. It’s also one of the greatest records to have drunk singalongs to! It’s an emotional rollercoaster, especially ending on the massively sorrowful ‘Over and Over’. 

For rock, it’s ‘Red’ by King Crimson. This almost defies explanation; it’s such an interesting record, I remember first listening to it and kind of marvelling at how raw it is. Three of the greatest players in relatively recent history, playing what to me is truly emotionally primal music. It’s not polished, but it is very real. It sounds to me to be quite different from the opulent and grandiose sound achieved by many of the other figureheads of prog rock of that time perhaps even rock and roll in general in 1974. There is just something much more mean at work here. And it’s also got that same sort of tragic ending that I enjoyed in equal measure on ‘Mob Rules’. 

SL:Favourite album of 2018?

JR: It hasn’t been released yet, but I’ve heard the new Deadbirdalbum coming out on 20 Buck Spin, and it is easily my favourite thing I’ve heard this year. 

SL:...And finally The last album you bought?

JR: I recently picked up vinyl copies of Craig Leon ‘Nommos’ as well as Steve Roach ‘Empetus’(two great 80’s synth records if anyone is curious.) Sadly I have not had the chance to spin them on my home hi-fi system yet, but I’m looking forward to some time off the road to immerse myself!

Pallbearer will be touring the UK from July 16th - 19^th – tickets are available HERE.

July 16th – London, The Underworld

July 17th – Glasgow, Stereo

July 18th – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club

July 19th – Bristol, Fleece

Aug 12th - Bloodstock

Their latest album 'Heartless' is out now HERE + brand new single 'Dropout' HERE" 

Band info: official || facebook

REVIEW: No Funeral & Livid - "No Funeral / Livid" (Split)

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Split LP

Date Released: 15/08/2017

Label: Live Fast Die Records

The combination of these two bands on one mammoth slab of wax is a marriage made in hell. No Funeral and Livid are definitely acts to check out now if you like it slow, heavy and desolate.

“No Funeral / Livid” Split LP//DD track listing:

1). No Funeral - Infection

2). No Funeral – Disease Brought By Depression

3). Livid – False Hope

The Review:

This split LP brings together two Minneapolis doom heavyweights united in snail-paced drudgery. No Funeral and Livid both deal in punishing, immersive doom delivered in contrasting styles.

No Funeral immediately establishes an air of quiet foreboding with the cold, bare introduction of “Infection”. Clean guitars are quickly drowned under a torrent of filthy sludge as the band rumble into a lumbering evil riff. There are slight increases in tempo as the track progresses but a grisly doom crawl is maintained throughout, somewhere between Iron Monkey’sbelligerent spite and Unearthly Trance’s bleakest moments. The mood of hopelessness is heightened by the nasty dual vocals, particularly the harsh howls of despair near the start of second track “Disease Brought By Depression”. Here the band dive deeper into the well of misery, building to a harrowing climax where a vocal sample detailing the effects of heroin withdrawal skips and repeats as the track unravels into chaos.

Livid’s side of this split is a single 19 minute epic titled “False Hope”. The oppressive atmosphere of No Funeral’s offering remains but the sludge has been dialled back in favour of spacious dark psychedelia in the vein of Yob or early Pallbearer. There is a stark contrast on the vocal front too but Cole’s Benson’s clean, reverb-assisted delivery instils a similar level of dread via a different mechanism. Over the first half of the track the band wring maximum impact from a gloomy chord sequence before letting a huge riff unfurl out of the dirge and develop over the second half.

The combination of these two bands on one mammoth slab of wax is a marriage made in hell. No Funeral and Livid are definitely acts to check out now if you like it slow, heavy and desolate.

“No Funeral / Livid”is available here

Band info: No Funeral || Livid

THE 16 MOST POPULAR ALBUMS OF YEAR SO FAR: The Sour 16 January - June 2017

As I reflect incredulously upon 2017 so far, it continues to confound my expectations that TERR0R exists at all, let alone being able to reflect upon six months worth of albums. 

2017 is like any other, we predict this year’s releases will not top the last, but invariably we are proven wrong, there have been highlights and disappointments, shocks and surprises, and as we approach July, we’ll continue to separate the good, from the bad and the ugly.  But today we reflect upon the 16 most popular records at TERR0R so far in 2017.   

This list does not reflect the contributors own tastes, rather they are articles that have received the most clicks, therefore by virtue of that, you could argue they’re the most popular (it’s a pretty loose hypotheses I know, but we wanted the list to reflect your tastes not ours).  The fact that the albums cover a variety of genres is indicative of how the site has grown and is central to the philosophy we promote, which is to review albums we like, not solely on the basis of genre.

The results of this chart as ever are compiled based on page views alone.  For more information on the bands, click the artwork.   We have included album streams wherever possible. (Total views since their publication is highlighted in red).  Thanks for reading. 

16). Brutus – “Burst” (1455)

Straddling the line between hardcore punk and a post-rock/metal riff fest, Brutus pounds, hurls, and howls at volumes so loud and levels so intense that it’s impossible to look away. Harmonies, hooks, and sing-a-longs are part of the Brutus recipe, but it’s the sheer intensity that will have heads turning, bopping, and banging.

15). Toke – “Orange” (1458)

Toke seamlessly blends the precise amount of head crushing, belly thumping riffs with greasy, bluesy lead breaks and melody. This band has struck a balance between tried and true classic archetypes within this genre and has pushed the envelope in so many forms of noticeable nuance.

14). Mutoid Man – “War Moans” (1529)

“War Moans” is fast, heavy and vocally arresting, it is an album that is certain to leave you breathless. 

13). Spidergawd – “IV” (1568)

“IV” is eight tracks that follow the verse-chorus-verse-chorus formula and does so with licks, vocals, lyrics and melodies that are sharp, fast, and poignant. As far as that’s concerned, there’s absolutely nothing to complain about

12). Bathsheba – “Servus” (1603)

The biggest strength of the album is its tactful and haunting use of atmosphere. This is achieved through the skilful use of dynamic contrast, organically unfolding transitions and changes in the timbre of the music, particularly in the playing of guitarist Dwight Goossens.  Tracks such as “Manifest” and “Demon” see Goossens change from chilling, ambient clean tones to rich, roaring fuzz tones that could satisfy even the hardest to please doom fans.

11). Sleep – “The Clarity” (1681)

“This track sounds like it could be the soundtrack to a huge robotic entity slowly trudging through space. ‘The Clarity’ is exactly what every Sleep fan wanted to hear after being dormant for such a long time. If these guys can pull an album out of the bag in the near future with anything remotely close to the calibre of power involved in this, then we are in for a serious slab of mind-altering, heavy doom.”

10). DOOL – “Here Now, There Then” (1698)

It is rare that an album is able to make one completely forget about their real world surroundings and bring them somewhere else entirely.  “Here Now, There Then” is an otherworldly brew of eeriness, effective hooks and nefarious rock and roll.  It is the soundtrack of a lost soul stumbling upon something evil and long forgotten, only to find it wide awake and waiting.

9). Unearthly Trance – “Stalking The Ghost” (1780)

8). Pallbearer – “Heartless” (1921)

“Heartless” is an incredible achievement from Pallbearer, a set of huge songs that consolidate the best elements of their previous releases while moving into fresh sonic territory. This is the album that should see the band make the transition into stadium-bothering all-time greats, and deservedly so.

7). Widows – “Oh Deer God” (2075)

The strongest part of “Oh Deer God” are the bloated, swaggering riffs that invade every one of the album’s seven tracks. The riffs loom over the music like a giant surveying a small village, resolve in just the right way, and give the album a raw, beefy strength that makes it so enjoyable. At just under half an hour total, “Oh Deer God” is a brief, but delightful venture into where vaporous desert rock meets viscous sludge metal.

6). Sepultura – “Machine Messiah” (2196)

Will this convert early-Sepultura-only fans? Unlikely. Will it convert Cavalera only Sepultura fans? I doubt it, as those people have made their decision and won't entertain that a Sepultura can exist without the Cavalera brothers. However, this is yet another high quality entry into the Sepultura discography and is one of the best records the band has made.

5). Dopelord – “Children of the Haze” (2516)

“Children of the Haze” is defined by loose grooves, ghoulish riffing and a very vintage sense of wickedness. Dopelord prove that, unlike many other stoner metal bands, they are not content to just create the same song several times over and call it an album.

4). Blaze Bayley – “Infinite Entanglement” & “Endure & Survive” (2819)

Both “Infinite Entanglement” and “Endure and Survive” are the best work of his entire career, better than Wolfsbane, better than his tenure with Maiden and better than his past solo work.  Blaze's fire is burning brighter than ever

3). Dead Witches – “Ouija” (3528)

This is another perfectly fuzzed out slab of doom from a band that doesn’t seem to know any other way.

2). Soen – “Lykaia” (3565)

On Soen’s third full length record their own explorative hunger is satisfied in the most delicious of ways, resulting in their most dynamically versatile but free flowing release to date.  An explorative and colourful record, there is a lot to take in with this record, many dimensions in which to get lost in. Repeat listens bear gorgeous fruits.

1). Telekinetic Yeti – “Abominable” (4181)

All in all, the recording has a huge sound and the production is absolutely amazing. It has everything you could ever want and I would rate it as a perfect 10. The album is truly remarkable and is sure to go down in history as one of rock’s greatest debuts. These guys are definitely heavyweight contenders to find their place at the top of the scene

ALBUM REVIEW: Elder - "Reflections of a Floating World"

By: David Jupp

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 02/06/2017

Label: Stickman Records |

Armageddon Shop

‘Reflections of a Floating World’ is both a glance back and a stride forward. The direct nature of some of the riffs and the weight of their execution sit it comfortably between ‘Spires Burn/Release’ and ‘Lore.’ The expansion of ambition and variety in musical approach however, keep Elder’s eyes firmly fixed on the horizon

 

“Reflections of a Floating World” CD//CS//DD//LP track listing:

1. Sanctuary
2. The Falling Veil
3. Staving Off Truth
4. Blind
5. Sonntag
6. Thousand Hands 

The Review:

The release of a new record from one of your favourite bands can be a bittersweet affair. The journey home from the record shop is one of both trepidation and anticipation. ‘Oh God, what if it’s shit? But hang on, what if it’s better – surely it can’t be better?’ Not that a record should only be framed in the context of its predecessors but with an LP as good as ‘Lore’ the possibility of something superior incurs such fantasies with ease.
 
When it comes to Elder and their fourth long-player ‘Reflections of a Floating World’ the answer to these questions is a simple yet complex one. Is it shit? Absolutely not! Is it better than ‘Lore’? Now that requires some discussion...
 
Having followed Elder from their outstanding coming-of-age effort ‘Dead Roots Stirring’ (2011), through follow-up EP ‘Spires Burn/Release’(2012) and then on to 2015’s list-topping masterpiece ‘Lore,’ Elder’s ascension to the peak of the heavy underground is completely justified. They are a band I have watched progress and grow over the last six years and their post-debut trilogy of records would all fight for a place in my desert-island record bag.
 
‘Reflections of a Floating World’sees an expansion to the formula that has served them so well. Having pushed about as far as a power-trio can on ‘Lore,’ the addition of second guitarist/keyboard player Mike Risberg is an exciting one. Not only can Nick DiSalvo ditch the loop pedal hopscotch but for a band built on the interweaving of melody, a second thread in the loom can only be a good thing.
 
Album four sets flight with ‘Sanctuary,’ a cut that has been around since the early touring for ‘Lore.’ Its proximity in creation to the last record can be felt in both melody and structure and it serves as a superb ‘previously on Elder’ recap. Thankfully the constituent parts that make Elder such an exciting prospect are all still here; Gargantuan riffs, emotive melodic leads and stop-start atmospheric interludes.  More importantly, just as on ‘Lore’ the band's ability to whittle, refine and expand these parts is too. The opening down tuned notes of ‘Sanctuary’ gives a huge nod to fan-favourite ‘Gemini’ and within seconds the trademark time-signature origami is deployed.
 
For a band that revels in songs that outlast ten minutes, an ability to carve act and movement into each journey is vital. As ‘Sanctuary’ approaches the halfway mark and climbs to its apex, Elder deliver one of the best melodic runs they have ever written. But before you can grasp hold, and with typical poise, they abandon it for a quieter interlude that folds in on itself for over five minutes, eventually erupting into an explosion of everything that makes Elder great.
 
Similarly to Russian Circles, Elder have mastered the art of holding a riff to the light for just enough time to take it in, before whipping it away and replacing it with something different. Whilst early listens of the record can prove frustrating as you try and grasp each pattern, subsequent listens bring you ever closer to the familiarity that opens up the narrative.
 
Track two ‘The Falling Veil’ is an intricate exercise in this very process and across its eleven-minute zoetrope of ideas not once is the groove and binding thread lost. DiSalvo scatters riffs into view with his traditional dexterity but before they can land the wheel is spun and new ideas click into place. Jack Donavon’s bass and Matt Couto’s drums supply a base to this kaleidoscope, one that also twists and turns against the flow, always keeping things interesting.
 
‘Staving off Truth’ is up next and follows a similar blueprint. DiSalvo’s vocals take a more prominent role this time delivering a decent vocal melody. The riffs however are not quite up to the standard of previous tracks and the song hints at a large payoff that never quite emerges.
 
‘Blind’ sees the first glimpse of the expansion in sound a fourth member offers. Distorted drums and tremolo guitar flicker in the distance before a vintage Elder riff slams into earshot. A galloped tee-up follows before falling away into an organ backed vocal refrain. DiSalvo’s vocal suits this treatment and as the pulsing keys dissolve, a bludgeoning half time riff pierces the swell. The band’s ability to fuse ideas together with arpeggio enables them to shape a collection of moments into a cohesive whole. It is perhaps this glue that was absent on ‘Staving off Truth.’ 
 
Similarly to ‘Sanctuary’ the halfway mark provides an exceptional guitar-lead zenith. The production on ‘Reflections of a Floating World’ follows on from ‘Lore’ but the variety of tones has been expanded, and here a more traditional stoner-fuzz punctures the storm. ‘Blind’ consists of a truly impressive array of ideas that fly by with surprising cohesion. The production allows each musician room to breathe in the mix and the last two minutes are all Donavan’s. His overdriven bass tows the song home under a typically intricate run of melody.
 
‘Sonntag’ follows next and delivers the album’s only misfire. Whilst relatively short in the context of the record, eight minutes is far too long to dedicate to an instrumental that doesn’t really go anywhere. It is perhaps an idea that was fun to play and meant to serve as a palette cleanser for the album closer to come. Sadly, for me it unnecessarily saps the momentum from the record and becomes Elder’s first notable mistake.
 
Luckily the record finishes on a high. The audacious riff-Tetris returns and just as on ‘Lore,’ subtle strings are deployed to add another touch of epic to an already strong album. As the song rages to a close, the now staple guitar melodies flash and crack in the squall and the record comes to an outstanding close.

Elder have carved out their place at the helm of the underground with a unique sound crafted over time and through force of will. This unique identity is so pronounced in relation to the rest of the stoner canon that they run the risk of becoming our scene’s Radiohead. Whilst it is exciting to have such a talented band flying the flag it is important to be measured and genuine in our support.

‘Reflections of a Floating World’ is both a glance back and a stride forward. The direct nature of some of the riffs and the weight of their execution sit it comfortably between ‘Spires Burn/Release’ and ‘Lore.’ The expansion of ambition and variety in musical approach however, keep Elder’s eyes firmly fixed on the horizon. The welcome addition of a second guitar and keys also widens the lense through which to view their musical landscape. Not all of the angles succeed, but where the record undoubtedly blooms is in the refinement of the band’s ability to assemble their jigsaw of ideas. Whilst I’m not sure the finished piece surpasses that of ‘Lore’ it is a worthy addition to their discography and bodes well for an exciting continuation of their journey.
 
 “Reflections of a Floating World” is available here

FFO: Sleep, Pallbearer, Samsara Blues Experiment, Baroness

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook