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: Biblical - "The City That Always Sleeps"

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 15/09/2017

Label: Tee Pee Records |

New Damage Records

“Mature Themes,” the opening track and lead-off single, certainly showcases a barrage of noise that hits like a barbed-wire baseball bat, but rather than making miles doing this sludgy-psych thing, Biblical branches out far and wide, traversing sonic landscapes that are as vast as the country the band calls home.

“The City That Always Sleeps” CD//DD//LP track listing

1. Mature Themes
2. The Last Thing I Remember
3. Regicide
4. Fugue State
5. Gallows Humor
6. Spiral Staircase
7. The City that Always Sleeps
8. House of Knives

The Review

               

Come on, let’s take a trip down the heavy-psych highways with Biblical. Their trip starts in the dirty streets of Toronto, but it doesn’t take long until they’ve hit the off-ramp and flown out into space. “Mature Themes,” the opening track and lead-off single, certainly showcases a barrage of noise that hits like a barbed-wire baseball bat, but rather than making miles doing this sludgy-psych thing, Biblicalbranches out far and wide, traversing sonic landscapes that are as vast as the country the band calls home.

When taken in front to back, Biblical’s sophomore outing “The City that Always Sleeps” plays out as a crafted piece of art that steers clear of a paint-by-numbers psych band. Biblical allow their ideas to flourish in their songwriting, and the fantastic production and recording – man, listen to those drums! – makes for an extremely well-rounded record that smoothly brings the listener across the sludge-psych spectrum of the stoner rock world.

Some parts are psych, there are even elements borrowed from post-punk, others are sludgier, and the brash moments are used as points of reference to take off from. The addition of the piano in the instrumental “Staircase”brings a little drama to the mix, and how this is pinned up against an uplifting chorus before a giant crescendo finishes off the song that exemplifies how Biblical takes control of the experience they’re providing.

Steady toe-tappers, fuzzy guitar solos, murky intermezzos, and catchy space rock. It’s all there and it all makes sense. There’s not much in the way of jams – you know, that moment when the music takes control – but there’s enough thought and effort put into presenting a well-rounded record that the jams aren’t missing. There’s plenty more to get lost in here than what’s on offer in the album’s lead-off single and you’d be doing yourself a favor by taking 40-some-odd minutes out of your busy day and let these tunes pick you up and take you away.

“The City That Always Sleeps” is available here

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW & TRACK PREMIERE: Blues Funeral - "Awakening"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 25/08/2017

Label: Independent

Close your eyes and you can hear hints of Mountain and Blue Oyster Cult throughout "Awakening." The rolling title track is a true showcase for how these inspirations have shaped the Texas band. Such attention to the details most people probably never notice further ensures a level of quality that may surprise you. Not only is the music masterfully played, but nothing overpowers the composition

“Awakening” CD//DD track listing:

               

1. Shadow of the Snake

2. Awakening

3. Illusions of Reality

4. Firedrake

5. Casimir

6. The Gathering Dust

The Review:

Progressive metal is arguably one of heavy music’s most gutsy disciplines. In this subgenre, you have a crop of originators as well as emerging acts devoted to creating an atmosphere as they are to writing compelling lyrics. Consider the performers included in the progressive metal tent and you’re guaranteed to stir up conversation among people. From Meshuggah to Kings X, the acts are memorable. Subsequent crews thus have some big expectations to live up to.

What makes Blues Funeral of Houston, Texas an important and challenging addition to progressive metal is the fact that “Awakening” is the combo’s follow-up to its 2016 debut, "The Search." Sophomore releases can be incredibly rocky experiences. That’s because, chances are, one of your favorite musicians probably had its own problematic second release.

Fortunately for Blues Funeral and fans, the team’s new release "Awakening" is not that package.

If you heard "The Search" – and kudos to the guys for regularly delivering new music – you may recall one of its most distinguished facets was Blues Funeral’smagnetism. A discerning music aficionado can almost pinpoint to the note where there’s tension in a group. If Blues Funeral members have that, they hide it well, as their music together is just outstanding. Listeners may have gotten a sense of that unity in its initial offering, but the latest confirms this accord. As a result, Blues Funeral serves up a seamless return.

The song construction on cuts like opener "Shadow of the Snake" play exquisitely to the strengths of guitar and rhythm sections. Close your eyes and you can hear hints of Mountainand Blue Oyster Cult throughout "Awakening." The rolling title track is a true showcase for how these inspirations have shaped the Texas band. Such attention to the details most people probably never notice further ensures a level of quality that may surprise you. Not only is the music masterfully played, but nothing overpowers the composition. You notice issues like this when a guitar is overplayed or the vocals wash out other crucial ingredients. Insofar as overall production, Blues Funeral feels faithful to the listening experience first. Such makes "Awakening" a real pleasure to hear.

At various points of the full-length, bassist Gabriel Katz deserves a nod for anchoring the festivities. Katz’s lines are pronounced without being overwhelming. A true prog-metal believer has to further give it up for drummer Cory Cousins, whose contributions are technical without being mechanical. His drumming draws out some of the best elements throughout, such as on "Illusions of Reality."

In no other metal style is the range of a singer as important as it is in progressive metal. Beyond the note she or he can hit, moreover, a performance is as much about the emotion a vocalist can stir up for an audience, as well as the picture a song can paint. Jan Kimmeland Maurice Eggenschwiler represent Blues Funeral marvelously. They together and separately strike the right mood on songs like "Casimir.""Feeling so heavy/With demons on his shoulders/Yet so enlightened and/Never getting older" gets the intonation such realizations deserve. The duo handle much of the quartet’s songwriting, so such vocal presence is understandable. Twinned with their exceptional guitar work, Kimmel and Eggenschwiler deliver something special to this second recording for the band. 

"Awakening" will be available here from the 25/08/2017 and you can check out an exclusive stream of the track “The Gathering Dust” below

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

TRACK PREMIERE: Demon Eye deliver a hard charger of epic proportions with "Dying For It"

DEMON EYEare back with their third offering and another dose of their own blend of Heavy Classic Rock, Proto Metal and Traditional Doom!

The new album "Prophecies and Lies" was recorded by Mike Dean of CORROSION OF CONFORMITYin the band's hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina, and displays a strong musical progression with mighty riffs, haunting melodies and fist-raising anthems. DEMON EYE are bringing vintage heavy darkness for modern times and current day evils, giving their listeners dynamic songs to empower them against all adversaries.  With the release date of 11 August 2017 just over a week away, today were serving  another sonic brew from the album entitled “Dying For It”,  a hard charger with a bit of Voivod dissonance meets classic Dio. You can check it out in full below. Preorders are available here

Band info: facebook  || bandcamp

VIDEO PREMIERE: Wolf Counsel play it slow and heavy with new video “Pure As The Driven Snow”

 

Wolf Counsel came into existence in 2014 when two veteran musicians merged their enthusiasm for monumental low-tuned music and a great appreciation of heavy riffs into a new band. Primarily rooted in the style of late 70s and 80s prototype doom, sludge and metal, their sound quickly developed a unique signature drawing influences from everything that's heavy and slow.

 

In January 2015 their debut album "Vol. I - Wolf Counsel" was released digitally, on vinyl and CD by Counsel Records/Dead Center Productions.

 

A mere  twelve months has passed and Wolf Counsel’ssecond album "Ironclad" was written -recorded, mixed and mastered at Little Creek Studio and was a released on 23rd September 2016 by Czar Of Crickets Productions.

 

Wolf Counsel’s music has been called “authentic, and elegantly classic“by various print and online magazines with comparisons to a “nonstop evoking riffage summoning forth an experimental urge to slaughter a herd of sheep with razor sharp groove and bludgeoning vocal girth."

 

Take it from us; if you’re fans of Black Sabbath, St. Vitus, OrangeGoblin, Goatsnake and Cathedral, you’re going to want to check out this band.  Today we are keeping it heavy and slow, with the debut of the Wolf Counsel video for “Pure As The Driven Snow” which you can viewed below and “Ironclad” is available here



Band info: facebook|| bandcamp