Introducing..... Reign of Zaius

The world's future is bleak. In just under 2,000 years, when highly evolved Apes have replaced humans as the big dogs, the world will be on it's last legs.

How do I know this?

Beacuse I listen to Reign of Zaius and they are here to warn us.

They proclaim to be renegade Ape scientists who have travelled back from the almost destroyed Earth to warn us of the horrors and doom we are leading ourselves into.

Well that was the plan, until a spliff was smoked. Then they ascended into the world of fuzzy stoner rock and instead geeked out on horror, comics and video games. And this is what we're left with.

Our future is fucking doomed, and it's their fault. Luckily they play some good shit, so I'm already over it.

Planet Of....

Reign of Zaius released their EP, Planet Of... on 13 August. It is brimming with sci-fi, horror references, such as all out stomper Deliver Me, that starts with that epic sequence played by the banjo boy in Deliverance.

Davis Zaius (Bass): "There's been a general pop-culture theme to the band, going back to its very name. Most of our songs focus in some way on comic books, video games, sci-fi, fantasy, and of course horror. Just like the best sci-fi or horror movies, we like to touch on big, serious themes but keep them cloaked in something a little more light hearted."

Gorilla Monsoon (Drums): "If you're into heavy, dark music odds are you're probably drawn to the same type of things in TV, cinema, or literature. Personally, I like the challenge of taking something perceived as vile or chilling and making it not just palatable, but catchy. "Farewell to Arms" (our tribute to Evil Dead 2) has a four-on-the-floor dance bridge in the interest of seeing how to make chants of "Dead By Dawn" and "I'll Swallow Your Soul" work as hooks. "

There is a plethora of catchy hooks and tracks on this EP but they also show off a great range of styles, incorporating aspects of thrash, hard rock, heavy metal into their Stoner Rock cauldron, which makes them stand out as original.

Phantom Cosmonaut (Guitar): "One of the real strengths of this band is that everyone is coming from a slightly different direction, style-wise. That makes the end result something unique and usually difficult to categorise."

Davis Zaius: "We come at a song in terms of what feels right for everyone in the band, and what we think will move the crowd at a live show. We often try to make the unusual or unexpected choice, especially where the rhythm section is concerned, without delving too far into self-indulgent prog rock. A song can be complicated, but it's got to stay groovy."

Leon "Space" Chase (Vocals): "So, most of what you hear is the unconscious product of five different people's tastes and tones smashing into each other, and just seeing what sticks."

Imagine if you will, a stoner rock band with triple threat vocals of Ozzy Osbourne, David Bowie and Dave Mustaine! Catchy opening track Hate Parade made me think of this very scenario and it works well. I asked the band members where their vocal influences come from, comparing the performance to a couple of these artists, and it's a wide and varied set of singers.

Leon "Space" Chase: "While neither of those was my intention, I'll take them both as a huge compliment. I would add Arthur Brown (Uk 60's pop star), Rob Tyner (MC5)".

Davis Zaius: "Mike Patton!" (Faith No More)

Leon "Space" Chase: "Also, Perry Farrell (Jane's Addiction), and of course Ozzy".

Orcs of the Nevermead sounds like a track that could have been written by the aforementioned Dave Mustaine for Megadeth back in the days where he may not have taken him self so seriously. Full of thrashy intent but not quite heavy enough to be thrash, I'd think it'd be a crowd pleaser live.

Tracks like Out to Get Mine and Power Hitter give bassist Davis Zaius a nice stage to show his creativity and ability to create interesting sounds. Out To Get Mine starts with a distorted bass and a dirty ground out guitar riff. It opens up nicely into more catchy riffs, nice solos and good breakdowns. Powerhitter has some effective effects on the bass in parts. It is also a 100% party track which closes the EP on a high note.

Reign of Zaius also give a nice sonic nod to the bringers of doom, Sabbath, in They Live and Farewell To Arms. They Live also has a hint of punk in the chorus and Dead by Dawn is blessed with a splattering if classic metal and opens with the classic line from the film of the same name, "I came here to kick ass and chew bubblegum, but I'm all out of bubblegum". Upon hearing this my 3 year old immediately stated she wanted to go to wherever "here" is because it sounds fun. I checked with the guys but I think I'll be keeping her away for now!

Gorilla Monsoon: "I dunno, a busy bank with aliens and a shotgun-brandishing Roddy Piper might get a little dicey, but you're the parent so that's entirely at your discretion."

Leon "Space" Chase: "Still, I think that the average 3-year-old is probably very in tune with what we do."

Davis Zaius: "Quite."

Power Hitters

There is a lot on show with this band. The EP captures a very authentic live feel. If there was spoken pieces in between each track from members of the band (I'd like to imagine some comical warning against some flesh eating cyber virus due to bit us in the year 2134) I may have thought at times it was recorded at a gig.

Creepy Mo (Guitar): "Our goal was to get a quick-and-dirty recording that showcases what we actually sound like together in a live room".

It is safe to say the goal was achieved successfully.

Take away the brilliant back story and good time vibe though and Reign of Zaius treat us too some real catchy hooks, an interesting and varied vocal and an occasional understanding from the guitarists that they can build some interesting layers of sound by going their own way. Finally I get a real punk ethos feel from the whole project, from the rough and ready sound to some of the delivery.

Who Are You and Where Do You Come From?

Reign of Zaius settled in Brooklyn New York after their arduous journey back through time. I tried to finally ask them if this was the epicentre of some important future event, but they told me to shut the fuck up because they were watching Ash Vs Evil Dead.

They Are;
Leon "Space" Chase on vocals,
Davis Zaius on bass,
Vlad the Inhaler (AKA Phantom Cosmonaut) and Creepy Mo on guitars and
Gorilla Monsoon on drums.

If you want to hear their music go here and get the EP.

If you want to follow them and have a laugh (they post some great stuff) check out Facebook and Twitter.

Follow Them: Facebook/Twitter

Follow us: Twitter/Facebook

Writer: Jonny Radley

Cloud - Bringers of Atmospheric Stoney Doom

I can not begin to tell you how happy I am to finally own this EP. Ever since happening across the track Grim Reefer months ago I've been sporadically trying to find a social media and sales outlet for this band.

It's not their fault, it's my own technological stupidity. After realising I could expand the info under the YouTube info and a bunch of links to everything I've ever wanted was there all along. Lesson learnt, I'd be embarrassed about it if I cared enough about technology.

So anyway, Cloud...

Who Are They?

They are Jeff "Trash" Hartwell on guitars, Josh Dower in Bass and Scott Rebarchek on crash symbol smashing duties. They are from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Style

Instrumental. Epic. Atmospheric. Stoner Doom Metal. And that is all that is required to be said.


Cloud EP

Today in art corner we have an album cover by Mark Paich, and lets face it, it fucking rocks.

The opening track, Cosmic Carousel, starts with a guitar intro that posseses all the eery resonance of a church organ and grand acoustics of being recorded in a religious building. We're then introduced to the fuzzy, angry riff that eventually paves the way for the heavy blues tone that takes control and drives the song. The leads, using a cleaner, more classic warm tone add a nice additional layer to the track. The track travels from atmospheric to balls out rock and back again, hitting truely epic status halfway through with almost tribal tom work and reverb laden guitar tone.

Unpolished is like a little bridge between the two main tracks on the EP. Again, full of atmosphere, all played over the sound of running water and rain. Its a swampy, not heavy but dark and moody, peice.

Then you get to hear the magnum opus of the EP. Grim Reefer. Everything is on point in this track. Incredible drum work, driving bass both overlayed by heavy but crisp guitar work.  All the instruments do their part in creating epic soundscapes in this track. This is 7min 34 second of my life that felt like 1 minute, such is the power and draw of the music. You simply must hear this track.

I'm every bit as impressed with this EP as I hoped I would be, having finally found it.
If you can buy it ($6) buy it here, it's a must have in Doomers collection. You can also have a listen below, it's a little bit of genius;

These guys who have another recording on the way so give them a follow and see whats next.

Follow them: Facebook/Twitter

Fuckjar and Prisa Mata Split Ep - Chill the Fuckjar Out

The Bands 

I already spoke about Fuckjar here, and I am now firmly a fan of the band. Their brand of heavy sludgy goodness and screamed vocal style is something I'm buying into, big time.

Fuckjar

But what of Prisa Mata? Well the name roughly translates to the rush kills you, which seems to be a saying in Spanish speaking countries to reinforce their laid back lifestyle and say chill the fuck out dude!

Who Are They?

The band members are from England, New Zealand and Spain but are based in London and started jamming in 2014.  They comprise of Jaz on guitar and making general noise, Raquel beating the bejesus out of the drums and Mark on Bass and throaty vocally depths of hell noise!

Style

Their sound reminds me of some of the desert metal/rock from the likes of Kyuss, but dirtier with a topping of sludge and a understated psychedelic direction. They use a gutteral monosylabic scream style vocal which us used more as instrumentation rather than to deliver lyrics.

Prisa Mata

The Match Up

The match up between Fuckjar and Prisa Mata works. Both are extremely heavy, write monumental slow sledgehammer riffs and maintain a screamed vocal throughout.

However, they still have a very definitive personalities. On the whole Prisa Mata keep it slow, and have the deserty Kyuss on steroids with a twist of psychadelia vibe I mentioned before.

Fuckjar on the other hand, have faster vocal delivery, out and out heavyness and schizophrenic moments of brilliance. This makes the split a nice little window into both bands' trajectory.

The Ep

Firstly shout out to the artist, Darwin Drawin, as the cover is frankly brilliant!

Fuckjar's contribution begins with Flesh Engine God. Straight away I'm hit by the improvement in sound quality whilst keeping the same raw, authentic feel. The riff is more complex and stoner-like than the demo and again shows a progression. After the breakdown the song becomes so intensely heavy and slow, with the same screamed vocal offering a juxt opposition. It's a great start and getting me amped for the rest of the EP.

Compliance Through Abuse starts at the same pace, slow, but soon breaks into a hardcore edged onslaught, a different sound to what I've heard from them before but another welcome style.

Carcass for the Hive is a slow, intensely heavy and dark offering. Full of atmosphere, feedback and tom work on the drums, it becomes a chugging almost mechanical onslaught. You can't help but be drawn into its sound and rythm.

I'll Get My Coat rounds off Fuckjar's contribution nicely, as in it's basically a feedback and distortion outro which couldn't really exemplify Fuckjar's general feel any better.

Prisa Mata's first offering, They Live, We Sleep is an Intro peice that follows nicely from Fuckhars outro with some heavy distortion and spoken sample.

This then filters into Soulburner which has a sludgy desert stoner riff. The gutteral monosylabic screaming style is something that makes Prisa Mata instantly identifiable. The quiet/loud dynamic created by switching between just bass and drums and introducing the heavier guitar works well in this track.

Ride the Sky is an 8 minute tripped out bit of brilliance. Dirty and heavy plodding guitars and bass, symbol crashing galore with some fantastic fills. The vocal scream is used to best effect on this track. It ends in psychedelic trip of guitar effects which makes you think there's so much this band is capable of in the psych realm.

I knew I'd like this as soon as I heard the Fuckjar Demo. What's taken it to the next level for me is two things. Hearing the progression of Fuckjar, whilst keeping the rawness of sound I like so much. Secondly it's Prisa Mata turning me on to a vocal style that previously if I'm honest, I may have dismissed, and broadening your musical horizons is never a bad thing. It works so well with the music and adds a valuable dynamic. I'd urge you all to listen to both these bands.

You can get the Ep on bandcamp in 2 seperate parts. Fuckjar's here and Prisa Mata's here for a price you name. As you will see you can also pick up a tape version of the EP for just £4. If you like the EP, surely this is a small investment for the collectors out there.

I hope you enjoy and get behind the bands.

Follow Fuckjar on Facebook

Follow Prisa Mata on Facebook

Fuckjar - A Jar of Wonderful Sludgy Fuck

"Firstly", I thought, "what is a Fuckjar?"

Google soon told me it was a name for a lady who may not need too much negotiating with to convince her it's a good idea to let you dip your wick within her. This may or may not be the origins of Fuckjar's name.

Funnily enough it didn't take too much negotiating for me to want to listen to this band when the Slabdragger guys told me they rock. So maybe I am a music Fuckjar? Upon realising this, the philosophical questions and personal soul searching this name caused me was deep, meaningful and really, well, completely fucking pointless. Fuckjar is a great name though.

Who Are They?

They comprise of Chris on vocals, Ellie on bass, Lorenzo on drums and Ziya on guitar. They are based in London. From trawling through their Facebook page I can't help but get the impression this band are all about having fun, and that this may transpose to live performances (I hope to find this out sooner rather than later). I see sex dolls and horse masks aplenty, what more could a man possibly want?

Style

Fuckjar deliver all the stoner sludgy riffing you could ask for make for with well thought out and slammin' tracks perfect for headbangers universally. An extreme metal style screamed vocal which adds a great intensity to the overall sound.

I will hopefully go on to also tell you about their split release with another awesome band, Prisa Mata, on a separate article but for now I will concentrate on their own Demo which was originally released in February 2015, so I'm a little late to the party, but screw it, if it's good, I'm talking about it.

The Demo

The Demo, which is aptly named "The Demo" opens with an plenty of feedback, a forewarning you're going to get a raw, live sound. And, fuck a jar (of pickled onions, so you remember it), the song Slug is an incredible opening track.

The riff induces head banging instantly. The track slows down into a more Doom laden feel, with a sinister, dark feel. This leads nicely into the faster paced Jorogumo, a floor stomper from start to finish, especially when, at about 40 seconds in, we're treated to a riff which is one of the best I can remember hearing for some time.



Club Serosa builds up layers from the beginning, firstly guitar, then the introduction of bass and drums, giving it meat and drive and then the vocal comes and gives you a kick in the balls. It continues the theme of awesome crunching riffs and throws in a nice little thrash style surprise for good measure.

The next track, Crushing Your Throne is Doomy offering in its style song on the release, after a minute and a half the track is played slow, heavy, sludgy and intense. The guitar tone and feedback as well as the usual vocal style still makes it feel like an aggressive onslaught.

The demo finishes with the psychotic, fast paced Old Fred, another stomper which in parts it reminds me of a more extreme (and thus more to my taste) System of a Down.

This demo is probably one of the heaviest releases I've written about in terms of music and vocal performance.  And it's these elements I love most about it.

Musically it is raw, but accomplished and well thought out.  Some of the riffs showcased are simply sublime to my ear. The vocal delivery adds aggression and intensity that adds a great contrast to some of the music.

Fuckjar incorporate a mix of styles such as sludge, doom, groove and at times thrashy elements really well. Considering this is a name your price download on Bandcamp, it is an absolute must have. Here is an opportunity to get behind a brilliant UK metal band, at a relatively early stage of their career, and follow them as they become more and more accomplished and appreciated, which I believe they will.

Follow Them on Facebook 

Slabdragger - Rise of the Sludgecrushers

I bought this album initially as something I might like to write about. I knew I'd like it as I'd heard some of it and all of Slabdragger's brilliant first release, Regress, on Youtube. Then I changed my mind and thought, "no I'm just going to enjoy this as a fan".

I knew by the last note of the first song that I couldn't just enjoy it, I had to write something.

It's fair to say Slabdragger are more established than the subjects of most of my articles and certainly don't need my endorsement, but ultimately the aim of this blog is to spread the word about the music I love, and listening to this album I'd think these fellas made a list of everything I want to hear in an album an made it for me. (Cheers guys). I hope to reach some people who haven't listened before and turn them onto this band.

So without further ado...

SLABDRAGGER

Who Are They?

They are made up of Sam Thredder on Guitar and Vocals. Yusuf Tary on Bass and Vocals and Jack Newnham on Drums (the drums on the recording are by Severin Black who has since departed). They hail from Croydon.

It is believed in local folk lore the Gods placed Slabdragger in Croydon to atone for the borough spawning the monolithic cock bag that is Dane Bowers and the disappointment brought upon the English football team of fellow Croydonite Roy Hodgson. It is said upon release of their third album Dane will be replaced as the benchmark of popularised mediocraty by a member of One Direction and England will appoint a successful manager.

Please don't make us wait 5 years this time!

Style and Sound

Doomy, Sludge metal in the vein of bands such as Sleep, Yob, Sabbath (obviously) with a nod to the mighty Pink Floyd in some of the interesting sounds used.

The full bodied, warm, heavy guitar sound is amongst the most satisfying I've heard in the genre as are the range of vocal style used. There have deep roars, shrieks and clean vocals, all used to good effect. There is very strong drum work and some nice bass solo's add to the overall quality of the sound.

Rise Of The Dawncrusher

First off there's the album art provided by the supremely talented Jimmy Pearson. I'm a huge fan of thoughtful album art and this is the best I've seen in some time.  It really sets the tone for the sci-fi adventure concept of the albums songs perfectly.

To say the album is epic is no understatement. If you do invest the time and sit down with headphones or take a long drive, you will not be disappointed. You, take note of the lyrics and you will discover the story and start to appreciate how the music is also used to tell this story.

Each track is a satisfying (cosmic) journey of sledgehammer heavy doom riffs and excellent and variant vocal delivery. It's slow, ponderous and bluesy in parts and fast and aggressive in others.

Whilst 4 of the 5 songs are over 10 minutes, what is refreshing about this album, when compared to some others who produce long songs, is that at no point does any song lose its way or give you the impression there's something been put in purely to fatten the track out. You can immerse yourself in them and wonder where the last 10 minutes have gone.

The wonderful warm bluesy opening of Mercury Blues draws you in and the track soon becomes an all out sludge fest, with riffs that head banging was made for. The pace increases towards the end which leads nicely into the more aggressive Evacuate.  I get elements of southern sludge such as Black Tusk in this track, which is a very good thing. Its the shortest song on the album, but it doesn't lack in impact or delivery.

Shrine of Debauchery's opening uses guitars and additional sounds to create a sinister cosmic atmosphere. This fits well with the theme of the lyrics which seem to be portray some form of disturbed alien cult practising their horrific rituals. Is it wrong that I love these lyrics? Probably. Anyway, if ever there was a case for how well musical delivery can depict lyrical theme, this song should be Exhibit A.

Dawncrusher Rising is a wonderful brutal onslaught that has a sublime breakdown and drum work at around 9 and a half minutes. This provides the theme for the rest of the song.

The album ends with Implosion Rites which starts with a plodding riff interspersed with heavy sections with deep guttural vocals. A great breakdown 7 minutes in introduces the second part of the track, a heavier section followed by a spaced out bluesy solo. This picks up pace before taking us back to the opening riff. Weighing in at 17 and a half minutes this really is an epic, well thought out ending to an incredible album.

My musically astute 3 year old asked me, when playing the first song, "is this Rock 'n' Roll," so I told her yes it is. She then demanded I play it again when it finished. It's the only CD I've played her that she's been remotely interested in  (although she is partial to a bit of The Trooper by Iron Maiden). I don't know if this little story is a sign of it's quality, but it certainly endears the album to me even more than the undoubted quality of its content alone.

If you don't at least buy this release (you really should), you should give it a listen in its entirety on Youtube. You will not be disappointed.

Buy it: Bandcamp/Label 

Follow them: Facebook/Twitter

Label: Holy Roar (check out the subscriptions via bandcamp, great value if you like their output)
((I do not work for Holy Roar, it's just good value and a great idea))

Thanks for reading.

Buffalo Theory MTL - Skeptic Knight

Who Are They?

They are Buffalo Theory MTL. The MTL is short for Montreal, their home town and also close to where I bought an Eel skin wallet, the quality of which has never been matched, from an Aboriginal Canadian shop when visiting family in Canada at the age of 11, but that's another story.

Their members are Anton Parr (originally of Brazil) on vocals, Yannick Pilon on guitar and vocals, Pat Gordon on guitar, Gary Lyons on bass and Brian Craig on drums.

All members are seasoned metal artists who have graced the stages along with the likes of Korn, Marilyn Manson, Suicidal Tendancies and the almighty, glorious Testament (I am a bit of a fan!)

It's safe to say, these guys can play a bit.

Style

They are a Stoner, beer chugging, fun time metal band through and through. Their music has all the awesome riffage and crash symbol smashing delivery you could ever ask for.
Taking this all into account, it'll be no surprise to my regular readers that I'm a bit if a fan!

The drum work is worth mentioning on it's own to start. I get the impression Brian's past work may have been in some more speed orientated and more aggressive metal. Whether this is correct or not, the drum work is something I particularly enjoy in their music. Whilst there's all the behind the beat stuff I like to hear, some of the speedy fills and rolls (I'm not taking about sandwiches but I am getting hungry) add a real intensity and grit to the songs.

This does not take away from the performances of any of the other guys though, there is quality writing and performance in every song I have heard. There's not a single boring riff or pointless solo, everything has it's place.

What ultimately sets Buffallo Theory MTL apart from many Stoner bands for me is the vocal delivery, which unsurprisingly given Anton's heritage, has a Brazilian thrash feel and at times a classic Punk influence that goes hand in hand with thrash. It's a different and refreshing addition to the genre.

EP: Skeptic Knight

Skeptic Knight opens with the almost locomotive chugging of Conspiracy in Paronaland. The vocal delivery harks back to Johnny Rotten in parts.

Punishment is more thrash meets Stoner and they make little chilled but occasionally ADHD babies. Every time I hear the opening I pull the grimacing "fuck yeah" face metal heads pull when they're really into a riff. When I'm in company people think I'm constipated, but in fact I'm just enjoying the pace, aggression and class delivery of this song.



Get On It sounds like an invite to come and get drunk, and it seems lyrically that was the intention. The riff, randomly, initially reminded me of Prisonsex by Tool, just faster and more upbeat. Whether I'm completely insane or not with that comparison, what it does have is a tempo, riff and lyrical repetition that works in making you want to get up and  groove and shout the lyrics back at Anton at the same time.

The title track, Skeptic Knight, has a classic Doom intro, before breaking into a snare driven headbanger. The riff is king in this song, it's impossible not to get pulled physically into the rhythm of the song and want to head bang like a chicken at feed time.

Psychic Enclosure has a clear groove feel. There's no unnecessary fills or attempts to drag this out. Its short, sweet to the point, with a good solo. The very last note leaves you expecting, and wanting, more.

Overall

The EP is a grower. On first listen I enjoyed it but was most taken by the brilliance of Punishment. It's still my favourite song but the other tracks, probably mostly Psychic Enclosure and Get On It, grow in stature with every listen.

It's well worth the £2.92 outlay on bandcamp. I'd also suggest you pick up their Triple Single EP Murder Trilogy for what ever price you wish to name as it's another excellent release. Murder Trilogy is 3 songs, 3 languages and spawned this excellent video.

Enjoy

Find them and Follow Them: Facebook/Twitter

Slumlord Radio - To Pretty For This Blog!

Slumlord Radio - To Pretty For This Blog!

When I posted a picture on Instagram inviting bands to sendme some music, I got plenty of "likes" from plenty of bands. However, as usual it was lots of people fishing for follows rather than having the balls to say, "yeah here's my music listen and write about it".

That is, apart from Slumlord Radio. What they didn't know was I'd previously checked out a video of them on YouTube and really enjoyed it, so was very pleased when they came knocking with an album for me to listen to.

Who are they?

Slumlord Radio are made up of Tommy "Capt. Hollywood" Erickson on vocals and guitar, Matt "Rattlesnake" Claucherty on drums and Mike "Ace" Todd on bass and hail from Grand Rapids Michigan.

Style

They blend various styles from hard rock, grunge, metal and stoner with a sprinkling of some pop hooks for added audible pleasure.

The vocal delivery is at times Cobain-esque with the addition of some happy gas and a more positive outlook on life. There is plenty of vocal input from the bassist with lots of chant style choruses that will envoke audience and in my case listener participation.

As a band they are musically astute throughout. Although there is a comedy element within the bands' output, they clearly take their playing very seriously and thusly produce some great musical moments.

The Album - Too Pretty for Tijuana

The intro to the album really sets the tone with the first of three insights from the albums Cowboy narrator! This is going to be fun.

First up, the single "Bullwhip". The genius thing about this song is the mixture of the poppy hooks and tunefulness musically, that leads into an out and out heavy riff driven musical interlude. It's a mixture that transcends genre's, but in a way that works (let's face it, it doesn't usually work). Plus the video is balls out fun!

Debonaire Dolomite, has a stoner riffing lead guitar line. It plods along nicely while informing us "hustling is harder than it looks, gotta know how to cook the books". An important lesson to all aspiring business entrepreneurs!

Southpaw with it's intro that feels like you've been left in the desert, licking sand, breaks into a foot thumping, head banging stormer. It's driving force is the brilliant drum work, which is hard hitting and takes many different twists and turns. The solo and breakdown just top off this brilliant track.

Choke 66 has one of the most infectious riffs I've heard in a while. I keep finding myself tapping my foot and doing my rendition of it. It sounds great to me but I've been getting funny looks while in the supermarket looking at vegetables, especially as reproducing it requires a lot of tongue work.

This leads into the faster paced and brilliant Fort Knox. Full of great riffs and energy throughout, only slowing down briefly to let you catch you breath before starting up again. A great close before the proclamations of moistness from our Cowboy narrator. And I have to agree with him!



Pay Attention!

This is an extremely strong release throughout with such a great mix of styles executed brilliantly. Slumlord Radio are deserving of more attention and coverage. In a rock world where massive bands are getting away with recording the same songs over and over and getting hailed as genius (I'm looking at you Foo's and Chilli Peppers) here is a band blending styles successfully, writing good music and having a laugh with us all while doing it.

This album is available, along with their entire back catalogue, from bandcamp, and you can NAME YOUR PRICE, so I'd suggest you get along and download the lot, put it on, drink some beer and have a party (naming a price if you can).

Follow them: Facebook/Twitter/Instagram

Gravel Drag - Dirty Dawgs

Who are they?
Gravel Drag are 3 piece instrumental riffing band from Bedford Virginia. They are made up of  Steve McKinney on Guitar, Ben McKinney on Drums and Chris Bower on Bass.

They create heavy rockin' southern groove inspired tunes that will stick in the brain of any lover of riffs.

Are They Any Good?
Fuck Yes!

Why?
Sometimes thinking is hard, especially when you have the brain capacity of a fart. This is why I am so happy I when I find instrumental music I like. No lyrics with clever hidden meanings to try and decipher is sometimes a blessing. This is music that needs no words, it speaks for itself, out and out Rock 'n' Roll that you can listen to deeply and take it all in or have in the background while you go about your daily business.

It is also a blessing to find an instrumental band who tick all the boxes in terms of your favourite genres of metal, mine being groove and stoner. Fortunately for me (and you) these guys do all of this, and they do it very well.

The Album: Sly Fox

Sly Fox is a head banger from start to finish. One thing that caught me immediately is the snare drum resonance which makes it stand out and the which in turn accentuates the groove feeling. Also the use of the crash symbols, at times even more so that the hi hat, give you the constant feeling of satisfaction that only a crash symbol can.

The bass and guitar parts are solid, well written and performed, without ever being flashy and irritating. They provide plenty of teeth gritting, snarling, head nodding moments.

Throughout this album there is no filler, every track is a good stand alone piece of work although I will talk about a couple of tracks that particularly resonated with me. They touch on psychedelic, groove metal, hard rock and doom metal sounds at points giving enough variation for it to keep you completely hypnotised throughout.

"Warbeast" stands out as a very strong track on the album. One reason for this is because it shares it's name with the band Warbeast, who have to be seen to be believed! Secondly because the opening riff reminds me of a song I wrote back in the day of trying to be a rock star in a band with my mates. But it stands out mainly because it's one of those tracks you hear and think, "fuck me I wish I'd written this". It moves from between different riffs and each one you hear is a pleasant addition to the song.



"The Legend of Sly Fox" has some  groove parts that are simply joyous. When I sat parked up in the car listening to this track, the car was rocking so much I got reported for dogging!



"Knockout King" is a brillaint closer. Short, punchy with some of the best drum work on the album. I've listened through this record 6 or more times now and everytime this song ends a have a feeling of disappointment that the album has finished! Surely that is a sure sign of some great work?

The album has a raw, live feel which is always a bonus on recorded output for me.  The feeling that these guys are just in a room together jamming, having fun, really comes across and adds to the listening enjoyment.

You can buy this album on bandcamp for $3. Yes just $3. Or in English money £2.08! So why haven't you bought it yet? It's a small investment for a great quality listen.

Other Music

Since releasing the album they have released this video for a song called "We're on Kill". It's a great tune and the perfect visual representation o their sound.

Gravel Drag are a band that I dare say fans of every genre from straight out Rock to Thrash Metal would appreciate in some way. I've not come across many instrumental bands, especially in rock and heavy music that manage to deliver, so far, consistently quality song writing. So if you enjoyed the songs included please invest, follow and support this band.

Find Them
Facebook/Twitter/Instagram

The Black Swamp - Foulness/Faultless

The Black Swamp

With them entering the studio this month to record their début LP it seems like a good time to do a little article about a band that is new to me, but one of my favourite finds in years, The Black Swamp.

If their EP "Foulness" and subsequent track (and video) "Cold Dead Hands" is anything to go by, then I am anticipating something pretty special, and I hope after reading this and hearing some music, you will be too.

The Black Swamp are already well in the process of making a name for themselves and have supported the likes of Hell Yeah and the almighty Black Label Society. Some readers may already be well versed in their sound. If you're not read on, if you are read on anyway, I'd be interested to get your opinions of this article......

The Black Swamp are a band who, for me, capture a bit of the spirit of Pantera, and take me back to the happiness I felt and the "how the fuck am I only just hearing this" feeling I had when I first discovered what came to be my benchmark band for all Metal. And from me, there may be no bigger compliment.

Now, I'm not saying this band are an imitation, because they are most certainly NOT. They do however on a couple of occasions appreciatively nod their head in that direction, namely in vocal delivery and some of the riffs.

In terms of musical style you can't really pidgeon hole them into a specific metal genre, something they seem to be deliberately trying to achieve, but they have elements of sludge, groove, stoner, doom and on occasions hard rock to their sound.

What they do posess is excellent musicality throughout, an ability to write catchy head infecting riffs and incredible vocal delivery.

Who Are They? 

The Black Swamp are currently made up of vocalist Stewart Wren, Jesse Kenny and Grant Scott on guitars, Rohan Downs on Bass and Brendan Woodley on drums. They are from South East Queensland, Australia. The material discussed and featured in this article was recorded with Ricky Collier on Bass duties. They started performing as a live act in 2012

Foulness EP

Foulness is excellent from start to finish, and this is the only way to describe it.

"Medal of Horror" contains great drum work which really drives the track in a similar way Adler's style does often for L.O.G. It's a high impact head banger from the start and throughout.

The title track, "Foulness" (obviously) is groove at its best, with a nice melodic lead in the chorus and a breakdown that'll have you slam dancing so hard you'll head butt the floor.

In the song "Legion" the vocalist, Wren, shows a talent of providing impact with his vocal delivery. There are well timed but random growls and then screaming "You will remember my... name" with "name" being after the beat where you'd expect to hear it. It may seem like minor things but these subtle nuances add so much to this track. Many bands don't seem to think about how much this can add to the groove or enjoyment of a song.

"The Fight Inside" starts with a great, southern influenced lead guitar line and riff. This then grows into a sludgy, chugging beauty of a track, one of those the more you hear it the better it gets songs.

The EP closes out with "Bastards of the Universe". This is a track that is worth the cost of the EP alone. Stewart Wren takes the opportunity to show off his impressive vocal abilities, incorporating a cleaner style whilst maintaining his usual style in places, The riffs would leave any fan of bands like Down, Crowbar or Orange Goblin purring with satisfaction.

Cold Dead Hands 

I'm not going to say anything about the track, Cold Dead Hands, apart from in a fan boy way, as I said to my mate Jim when I first saw it; "YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS NOW"!

Their releases so far have a variance of styles that are all performed to a high standard. When I think about what we will hear on the L.P then I hope they keep this eclectic mix going. But then I also think that if they concentrated on performing straight up groove (or sludge or anything else) it wouldn't be an issue as they are more than proficient all the areas they cover.

You can buy the EP here for a pittance, so its really worth the investment to discover a brilliant metal band, and start getting pumped for their LP release later in the year.

Ultimately this is the type of band that I want to go and see whilst getting hammered with my mates, rocking out at the gig then leaving ready to party more! And that's probably why they give me the "Pantera effect", because when I hear them, I want to drink and party and when music makes you immediately want to do these things, you know it's quality.

Follow

Follow them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and check out their Youtube channel for some interesting videos. (see the end of the article for a video about the writing process for the new album).

Band photos are by K.C Ward

Follow me on Facebook or Twitter for more articles.

You will remember my ...... NAAAAAAME!

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Montezuma's Revenge - From Russia With Sludge (and a Bong)

Who are Montezuma's Revenge?

Montezuma's Revenge are Ilya Boots, Vladimir Yurchenko and Yura Kalyaamm.

They are also not the diaahorea suffered by visitors to Mexico, although they share the name and sludgy consistency, they are most definately not shit!

What they are is a stonerific sludge band from Moscow. Although to describe them just as this doesn't really encompass their complete sound.

Now I know all music is art, but I don't think Zakk Wylde sits and considers how he is going to actualize his artistic vision in sound. I think he writes a good riff, records a "piss in your face" solo and he's done, and there's nothing wrong with this, in fact the man's a legend.

However, these guys are putting artistic thought into their compositions. It's not over bearing, or as we in England would say "arty farty", but it's there enough to give it an interesting direction. What this brings to the table is some fantastic and interesting journeys in the music and lyrics that constantly alerts the listener's attention. They have an artistic edge that sets them apart.

And speaking and art.....

Something, apart from the music, that I sincerely appreciate about this band is the clear importance hey put into the audible AND visual artistry.

In the digital music age the visual artistry of an album is often lost. Even on physical album art a lot of bands seem to follow a pre determined formula. This is not the case here. On their first LP, Key to the Abyss, they have used the considerable talent of Moscow based artist Andrey Davidosky, who has created a visually stunning sleeve cover and pages which compliments their sound perfectly.

Key to the Abyss

As I said before , if you're expecting straight sludge, you're not getting it here, but what you will get is the awesome riffs comparable to the likes of Down, with some brilliant additional soundscapes and tempo changes.

The album kicks off, well in chaos, off with "Chaos Reins", a song with an intro deserving of it's name and that incorporates some classic sludge riffs with doom influenced breakdowns and some brilliant layered lead guitar lines.

The title track, "Key to the Abyss", sounds almost like a tip of he hat to Down in parts with it's style and vocal delivery, however they never lose their own clear identity and verve.

Some songs display a range of tempos and styles that make them very interesting. "Fast Food Bushido" goes from speed to sludge to speed then it becomes almost a Slayeresque thrash number towards the end.

"Anti-Entity", my favourite track on the album, also has variant tempos and it incorporates a sublime passage of stoner rock sounds which was joyous to me upon first hearing.

"Little Gods of Disruption" brings in hardcore elements in the verses with the drums driving the song before reverting to the captivating guitar lead lines they do so well.

"Sleeping Beauty" is the most out and out sludge number, with a reverby lead that creates an almost Tool like atmosphere. Lyrically I get the impression this is referencing Russia as the Sleeping Beauty, but you may draw your own conclusions. Either way it is packed with metaphor and an interesting song lyrically and musically.

"Godfather, I'm In Love" has the most addictive riff on the record with a rich full sound it's impossible not to want to move to.

Finally, "Dead Frost" with its sinister soundscapes throughout. This is the bands epic, but they're not so self indulgent to drag it out to the point where it becomes boring. The accompanying video was animated by Waldez Sneg of the group of artists Rotten Fantom, yet another nod to the importance of visual art to accompany their music.

Throughout this record I have to disturb my pigeon style appreciative head nod several times to stop and take note and admire some of the ideas and directions, before reconvening (and looking like a knob).

Whilst good from first listen, it grows even better on the ear with further listens. You discover bits you'd not heard before or hear a new lyric you like which gives the album a fresh feel with each listen. You can stream the album below.

It's time to get behind the Moscow Metallers, a band who have shared the stage with the super powers of Down, Crowbar and next month will be supporting the Sludge juggernauts EyeHateGod, are surely on the cusp of something big themselves, with their artistic and inventive take on the genre.

The good news is they're in the final processes of completing a new album so there will be even more music to enjoy very soon.

You can buy Key To the Abyss digitally and on C.D here . Digital download is just $5 (around £3) but, if you like the album its worth having the C.D, to have the quality art as well. There is also an interesting free EP of a slightly different style and singles on bandcamp to download. Go get

From Russia With Sludge (and a bong).

Follow them:
Twitter and Instagram: @mntzm 
Montezuma's Facebook

Check out the Label's Facebook and Bandcamp

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Down - For The Love Of Down

For the Love of Down

Having not long started my heavy metal journey, which incidentally started by saying to my best friend "I'm going to buy a metal album" and then going on and buying Slayers' Diabolus in Musika, I stumbled across Pantera.

In Pantera I found a band who seemingly ticked all the boxes. Vocal range, a ground-breaking guitarist, tight rythm and song writing skill. I then proceeded to collect everything Pantera related.

Then metal hammer magazine had a front cover announcing the triumphant return of Down, Pantera singer Phil Anselmos side project, along with a compilation c.d with Lysergic Funeral Prosession on it.

This song changed everything.

What's so good about Down?

The Musical Style;

I'm sure no one's interested in my mini metal biography but those who have not listened to Down  (and I mean really listened to them) might want to know what's so good about them.

Down are a band who, for me, cross over many styles and influences. They capture the feel and sound of so many of my favourite hands and genres.

One minute I'm hearing Skynyrd

The next an awesome bluesy feel

Balls out dangling metal

Good old Rock 'n' Roll

And ultimately and most importantly for every amazing band, they have the fans' anthem, and its the best of all fan anthems.

Why haven't I named the songs? Because I'm an annoying cock..... and because you have to listen to them. If you're already a Down fan and haven't heard them in a while, you'll be smiling all day.

You can not listen to one song and say "Here's Down". No matter what your guitar based musical taste there's likely a set of Down songs for you.

The Albums;

The debut, Nola is a modern classic, anyone who tries to tell me otherwise has either not listened to it, or has had their head infested with a Justin Bieberesque parasite, which only clockwork orange style reconditioning can cure.

It is impossible to pick highlights as start to finish it delivers on every level. It's one of those albums where you listen and think, did they know they completely nailing this when recording it?

Each album/ep they have produced provides a variety of sounds and even the song order seems calculated in such a way that when it ready to hear something a bit more chilled or a bit heavier this is what you get. I imagine many bands within metal who are not out and out aggression do this but no other output (apart from probably Alice in chains' dirt) has sprung out to me as being so deliberate, and this is EVERY release.

I believe the best way to access Down, album wise, is to start at the beginning and go through them chronologically.

Each release has it's own story and reflects where key band members were at he stage they were writing, as well as reflecting outside sources. Namely Down III: Over the under, which was written after hurricane Katrina which affected all of the members, and of course also reflects the passing of Dimebag.

The Live Experience;

I've been fortunate enough to see Down a few times. At one gig I stood close enough to Tommy Lee to catch an STD, but that's another story.

Live, Down deliver the thing that is most important to me in the music I love, a fucking party.

Being a fan of metal but not exclusively a metal fan, I go to a few different types of gigs and they all unfortunately have attendants who hit certain stereo types (fortunately a vast minority of gig goers, but they're there)

Metal gives you the over aggressive dick bag. 

Indie gives you the middle aged man who thinks it's still the 90's and is snorting coke, wearing a daft hat and acting 'ard. 

Blues gives you be 50 odd year old middle class musical conesseur who scoffs at all these young know nothings. 

The common denominator, being a twat.

You don't get this at a Down gig. They may be there but generally they dare not show their face (apart from one pint stealing twat, but there's always one). Mostly though it's kindred spirits.

Everyone knows the vibe and is on the same page. We're there to have fun, we're a brotherhood (and sisterhood) and we're in it together. 

The actions and demeanour of the band on stage perpetuates this. They just wanna have fun, they genuinely want you to have fun. You don't get the feeling that they're just here to play a gig then piss off. You truely believe get are thankful for your support and that they want to be there with you enjoying the music. Bust up, tune down and Sabb off.

The Pathway to Other Music;

Through Down I have discovered and/or learnt to appreciate. 

Namely the mother bands of the original line up. I'd heard Albatross by c.o.c and broken glass by Crowbar, and liked them but never delved beyond these songs. Now I'm a dedicated fan of both I these bands as well as Eyehategod. 

Downs' accessibility and their treatment of fans as one of their own allowed me to learn about the people behind the band whoch helped nurture my interest in these bands. And of course the kick ass music. 

The other great experience is listening to each band then going back to Down and discovering again what each musician is personally bringing to the party.

The Brotherhood;

My two closest friends are Down fans as well. We always see them together, all listen to and discuss new releases. We'd be mates anyway, but our mutual love of this band unites us completely, is a topic of conversation every time were together, no matter what else is going on. 

The bond is strong but not is made stronger because of Down.

Basically what I'm saying is.... LISTEN TO DOWN.

Bury Me In Smoke......

P.S - this blog was written prior to Phil's outburst which hit ke hard at the time. I wrote a reactionary blog about that. After time and reflection I still hate what he did but genuinly do not believe he is racist. His music has had such a profound effect in my life that I can not let one mistake ruin it for me and everyone. Here's hoping he is genuine and LONG LIVE DOWN.