Cloud - Rebringing the Doom

Instrumental Doom bringers Cloud are back with a new release, which goes by he name of Indeterminate. I was a fan of the self titled EP, as you will see here, especially the triumph that was the track Grim Reefer so was eager to hear this new offering...

Indeterminate

Indeterminate opens with thunder and rain and resonant guitar. It's a reworking of 'Unpolished' from their incredible first EP and what a rework  it is. The pitter patter of rain seems to slowly develop into drum before the heavyness smacks you in the face. But this isn't ur, it generates speed with an awesome riff making it impossible not to head bang like a lunatic. Stunningly fulfilling in heavyness, incredible ambience throughout and lovely blues laden solos, this is living up to everything I hoped it would be.

Relapse fades in, slow and heavy with before breaking into a chugging wall of distortion and hangover like fuzziness with a satisfying hint of groove make the track more and more listenable as it develops.

Desert Weed was a make or break moment for me. A track with lyrical content, provided by Gabriel Ravera of Mephistofeles. I love that Cloud, up till now, produced great instrumental music so was dubious about this. Any doubt was soon cast aside when hearing the Ozzy style tone of Ravera complemented by a well written track. Cloud are clearly not limited in their writing ability and Ravera puts in a performance that has made his band the next in my search list. The instrumental interlude comes in and transports me back to early Sabbath, before Ravera sees us out with his last contribution.

Otherworldly takes is back home to instrumental land, with a track that shows some development from the original EP with pleasing licks and touches which add an understated element to the track.

Yggdrasil, the last track, opens with bluesy, groovy intent which continues to a breakdown of epic proportions. It eventually builds its way back, layer by layer, to being the heavy blues groove that controls your ears so hypnotically at the beginning. It sees us out by becoming bludgeoningly slow and heavy, with some great drumming fills.

Conclusion

Another great effort from Cloud and if instrumental doom is your thing then this album is a must. Its shows a steady progression the self titled EP in terms of song writing and a nice, and more importantly not out of place, surprise with the vocal track. Another success for Cloud.

Score 3.8/5

You can (and should) get this now on Bandcamp

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Author: Jonny Radley

Headless Kross - Projections I Review

Headless Kross formed in Scotland in 2011. They are a Psychedelic Doom band who use an unearthly vocal style along with a satisfyingly fuzzy bass and heavy as a wrecking ball in your crotch guitar sound. We’ve been sent their new Album, Projections I, the first part of a pretty exciting trilogy of releases, all due out within the next 12 months, to review. You’ll be able to get your filthy hands on this instalment on 18th November.

Now let’s not fuck around here, these guys have shared the stage with the likes of Conan, Orange Goblin, Jucifer and Slomatics, and you don’t get to do that if you’ve got nothing going on! They’ve already shattered a few eardrums and expectations with their second full length album Volumes in 2015, so many will be interested to see how Projections 1 fares.

Projections I

From the opening notes of Does Not Equal Time I’m enthralled. Straight away it is heavy and sublimely Doom, with a neck cranking groove. The distant scream vocal adds to the atmosphere as musically it chugs along, satisfyingly low tempo and fuzzily. Then halfway through the speed is increased in a hypnotising repetition of riff, where the drum beat is the only thing that changes, adding an underlying intensity, then slowness, then intensity again. The Drum work single handedly changes the mood of the track whilst everything else stays the same and I find it so effective in terms of song writing. This is a composition that draws you in and allows you to lose yourself, something only great Doom metal bands achieve.

Practical Mental Effects introduces itself with layers of feedback and a gut-wrenching scream, an indication as to what you’re going to hear vocally for the remainder of the song. It is so slow, it makes a sloth look like Usain Bolt, but this adds to the intensity of the heaviness, a few surprises are thrown in in terms of notes, which work well to peak your attention. Again, Headless Kross show a propensity to create interesting sound, when later in the track a spacey solo comes in creating a glorious few moments that alone are worth the 8 minutes this track weighs in at.

In comes the frankly haunting introduction of Church Of The Fifth Season. When the guitar riff comes in some of my uneasiness (like watching a good horror) is lifted, it’s not deep and heavy like we’ve heard so far, but more proggy, psychadelic and epic. Whilst the track does regain the plodding heaviness this track shows more diversity in sound than the previous two tracks. Nothing like keeping things interesting, it’s well placed on the album.

The Map Is Not The Territory has a bluesy, sludgy groove. Sexton’s intense screamed vocal cuts through the proceedings like an eerie, devilish augmentation. When the track starts chugging we get to enjoy some understated blues lines, again making me appreciate the composers’ ability to add so much intrigue with little touches, before the song fades out into a fuzz or bass and guitar, which seems like a fitting end to this album.

Conclusion

This album is grim, abrasive, fascinating, joyous, slooooooow, monolithically heavy and epic all at once. I’m already salivating like a fat man waiting for pizza at the thought of what Projections 2 and 3 are going to bring. But concentrating on this release, the tracks draw you in to the point you’re fully involved in the music, captured in the sublime heaviness and almost hypnotic vocal that you feel may possess your soul. I was genuinely shocked when I sat down and looked at the timings of the songs, that not one of the tracks is less than 8 minutes, such is the level you get involved when listening.

Score 4/5

Headless Kross is: 

Derek Sexton – Bass /Vocals 

Tommy Duffin – Guitar 

Jonny Montgomery - Drums

The album will be available via their Bandcamp page, so you may as well visit now and Download their back catalogue.

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By Jonny Radley