QUEEN CRESCENT - Self-Titled (Album Review)

This is great stuff.

Queen Crescent is an all woman band from the Bay Area of California who make heavy, dark and punky stoner doom rock with flute. Comparisons will be made to Blood Ceremony and maybe even Jethro Tull, but should be avoided. These ladies do their own thing, and that thing is spectacular. These heavy ladies will also be lumped in with the occult rock label and there's some truth to that if you look at the song "Majic Moonjynuh", but this album is no more occult related than any other rock n roll album to emerge since Bill Haley & the Comets told the world what time it is.

Main vocalist Andrea Genevieve automatically brings to mind Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, especially on the album's best song, "Culture Vulture". But we're only talking tone of voice here, because she's singing from a low register. As far as what's going on musically, Queen Crescent are in a class of their own. It's hard to imagine flute as a blunt object for instance. It's used almost as a percussion instrument in this standout track, but if it can be done flautist / vocalist Melissa Vu will find a way to do it.

Flute is a huge part of what shapes Queen Crescent's sound, it's treated as a lead instrument. This allows the incredibly low-tuned guitars to slide under the radar and hit the listener on an almost subconscious level. This is what gives the music its dark and mysterious overtone. Some might hear it and read the sound as "occult", but what they're hearing is the contrast that springs from the interplay. The light tones of the flute, playing a darkened melody with that basso rumble underneath has a somewhat hypnotic effect. The musical mysticism expressed on this album is more attuned to the true magical experience of psychedelics than the often overblown imagery of the stirring of cauldrons and the riding of broomsticks.

What really matters is the music itself and this 7-song, 33-minute debut is potent stuff. Powerful vocals, solid melodies, heavy riffs and killer flute are all driven along at a solid pace from the back end by drummer Amy Martinez. You get an easy sense of the tongue-in-cheek sensibilities of the band with song titles like the above-mentioned "Majic Moonjynuh" and the short warm-up of "In the Court of the Crescent Queen". Also, any outfit that gives a respectful nod to the iron-fisted musical gymnastics of Mr. Fripp and company are alright in my book.

Rating: ««««½ / 5

You can find out more about this hard-working, up-and-coming band at the following links:

Queen Crescent official website
Queen Crescent on bandcamp
Queen Crescent on facebook
Queen Crescent on twitter
Queen Crescent on instagram

'Queen Crescent' is now available on LP and digitally. Check out the album on the player below

XII BOAR - Pitworthy (Album Review)

Artwork by Beak - Six of One

It's not my first day or nothing, but I'm still new here. When it comes to underground heavy, I'm still green. It's a maxim of mine that it takes 15 years to become truly good or proficient at anything you do, be it something creative, a job or even just listening to a certain type of music. I'm about a fifth of the way there, way down the seniority list. XII Boar is one of those bands that you hear about, over and over. If enough of the right people talk about a band I'll make a mental note to check out the next release. Trying to play catch up and listen to everything is bailing a flood with a thimble. Well the time has finally come and XII Boar has a new release. After a pair of highly regarded EP's the band is releasing their debut album on March 9.

XII Boar is often labelled as sludge or even doom but I call it biker rock. It's an unswerving, unrelenting, fast-driving terror trip of heavy music. This is bicycle-chain-being-whipped-in-your-face-in-a-midnight-park-brawl music. Well, you either shy away from it and turtle, or you use the adrenaline to keep driving and fight on. XII Boar is suited for the latter personality type.

From the wicked throw down of savage opener "Sharp Shooter" to the epic finish of "Quint" this Aldershot power trio shows no mercy. The album title is no lie. The 10 tracks on this 48 minute album keep a quick tempo, but tend to alternate heavy, slower, riffier moments at opportune times. And the album's not without it's melodic moments, see the sublime "The Schaeffer Boogie" for evidence of that. It's a good signature sound and they carry it well.

With XII Boar being from the UK, the style they play immediately brings to mind bands like Orange Goblin and Desert Storm and newer groups that I just happened to hear first like Mage, The Grudge and Beardmore. They also wouldn't fall off the stage on a double bill with Midnight Ghost Train. But even among this excellent lot, XII Boar excels. Bands like XII Boar are to Motörhead what ... Windhand, for example are to Black Sabbath. They are the children of Lemmy and crew, ensuring the sonic lineage while building on it and sending it to seething new places.

Incidentally I was never sure how to say the band name, all this time I've been reading their name as "She-Boar", well it's Twelve Boar. Either way this band spells trouble and 'Pitworthy' will leave scuff marks and bruises. The album is available now!

XII Official website
XII Boar facebook page

TAKEN BY THE SUN - Self-Titled (Album Review)

Incredible cover artwork by Nick Keller.

It's not everyday you come across a band that describes their music as "Post-Metal / Jazz / Doom / Ambient Sludge", so it's with a high level of awareness that you approach Chicago's Taken By the Sun. You just know you're going to either love the music ... or despise it deeply and passionately.

Taken By the Sun's self-titled debut is progressive in the truest sense, it speaks the language of stoner and doom metal but invents new phrases, crashing the borders of both extreme and post-metal styles along the way. The patchwork monster of sounds and styles isn't entirely unlike what a Neurosis would produce with the "kitchen sink metal" sensibilities of Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals thrown in. You may hear an odd-time hammer slam of a drum beat with a haunting melody plucked away in the background before the two elements switch places of prominence. You might hear dry throat cries mingling with melodic vocals atop a choppy chaotic sea of noise, before the entire structure solidifies and girders itself with a stoner riff.

But apart from what sounds familiar, there are times you will hear things on this album you've never heard before, like the soaking wet modulating bass tone of the incredible "Red" or the "bone-dance" riffing in parts of "Volatile". The magnum opus of this first outing would have to be the closing track "Ornaflux", which was premiered over at the terrific Sludgelord blog. You can listen to that track at this location. It's a good introduction to the band, it shows what they're all about, a bludgeoning attack buffeted by polyrhythms, around the world melding of styles a head-sploding chaotic chorus and it just so happens to be a great song to boot. It's incredible when you hear it to think that the album was recorded live with minimal overdubs.

This all might sound like direction-less nonsense, but that's my words failing, not the band. The styles in the utility belt may clash, but each is used in its proper place. This band is Batman. The raw elements of sound are then re-combined in novel ways, by finding just the right mixture to create a powerful new beast never before glimpsed by man. This band is Mr. Hyde.

The album goes live on Taken By the Sun's bandcamp page tomorrow, February 24.

Rating: «««« / 5

Taken By The Sun facebook page

Official website

HORRIBLE NIGHTS - Patrick Bruss - The Gorgon's Gallery

American multi-instrumentalist Patrick Bruss is one half of the horror-inspired death / grind metal band Crypticus. Together, he and Norwegian drummer Brynjar Helgetun have released three full-length albums and a host of E.P.'s and other items. Now, death metal isn't my thing but for Crypticus I can say that what I've heard from the band is better than 95% of the genre, this coming from someone who loves riff-based metal with organ so take that for what it's worth to you. 

But Crypticus is only one outlet for Patrick Bruss's dark imagination. This past October he released a solo eight song E.P. of synth-based horror themes called 'The Gorgon's Gallery'. I've talked at length and I'll continue to talk at length about how it's tough to find good synth-based horror music that isn't dance-y, well 'The Gorgon's Gallery' is exactly what I'm looking for. Matter of fact this is one of the best imaginary horror soundtracks I've heard.

The difference here is that Bruss uses live instruments so that the atmosphere maintains its horrific focus. It's hard to maintain an eerie or creepy feeling when your feet feel like dancing. Horror music should make your feet feel like running or at least stay very, very still so as not to attract attention. Bruss achieves that goal here. It's easy to tell that this horror-inspired music is coming from someone with a heavy metal, rather than a dance music background. The sensibility pays off as you can practically feel the blood pulsating and oozing from the throbbing basslines.

Again, this album is caked with castle dungeon atmosphere. It sets the mind off into secret tunnels and cobwebbed lairs of darkness. If that sounds corny to you, then you're probably not a horror lifer. Bruss is, and it takes a certain sensibility to realize and maintain such moods. But as important the feel is to this E.P., there's memorable themes here. Ultimately, the combination of the two, atmosphere and melody is what brings me back constantly.

Three of my other personal favorite horror-inspired musical projects, Blizaro, Slasher Dave and Werewolves in Siberia also come from musicians with heavy metal backgrounds (although Blizaro is more metal with horror music touches), a fourth of those favorites, Zoltan uses live instruments. The organic quality of live instruments and heavy sensibility of the artist comes together to create perfect horror music so that the sense of menace runs rampant. If I were to try to pinpoint this album on the horror music scale of heaviness it would fall between Blizaro and Slasher Dave. No matter where it lies though, this has been one of the best albums of horror music I've heard and I hope Patrick Bruss continues to do this kind of thing. 

He also did the music for a short film called "For the Team" which you can find at this location.

Rating: «««««/ 5

SARDONIS - Split with Drums Are For Parades

SardoniS is one of the best instrumental bands out there, I've been a fan for a little while now. They describe themselves as a "two man battalion playing instrumental mayhem" and that shows through on this record. Near as I can tell this LP is one of a series of split albums called The Abyss Stares Back released by Hypertension Records. But don't quote me on that. I haven't heard the other side of this split and I got these three songs through SardoniS's bandcamp page. I'd like to hear the Drums Are For Parades side but I haven't managed to track it down just yet. This side of the record finds SardoniS freebooting high tempos through devil-may-care experimentation. I listen to these three songs and I can't help but think "these guys are swashbuckling". I'm struck by the confidence of the band as they breeze through some fairly tight spots. I'm hearing a band having fun. They remain a high point in heavy instrumental music and I'll continue to support what they do for a long time to come.

ALUCARDA - Raw Howls

Alucarda are a rare bird. Equal parts punk and doom, as quick to throw a fist in the face as have a long lonesome walk, I like this. I liked their 4-song demo too. In my review I called it "full frontal doom punk & roll.  [Alucarda] splits their time ... sprinting through uptempo numbers like a wet dog shaking the sleaze off and getting it all over everybody and casting demonic spells of doom to possess listeners with evil sounding riffs". Once, I was wordier. Their new 7-song, 34-minute album is released on cassette specialty label, Smokedd Productions as a NAME-YOUR-PRICE digital download. Indications are that a cassette versions will be available April 1. Once again, these guys are cool, the sound here is not entirely unlike Satan's Satyrs, which has all the kids buzzing at the moment. Actually, I have no idea what the kids are on about these days, but they ought to be buzzing about Alucarda, their music is raw fury.

THE DESSERTS - The Strangest Man Vol.1

Here's one I found on The Evil Engineer's bandcamp feed. Nothing is known at this point about the band. The general nature of their name makes it search prohibitive but what is known is that this EP contains some good low key rock n roll. Sweet melodies melted down and carmelized into saccharin stoner rock. The Strangest Man Vol. 1 features 6 short songs, none longer than about three and a half minutes, for a grand total of 18. The big surprise here is the last track "Blue" which has an early Pink Floyd meets 'Purple'-era Stone Temple Pilots feel to it. It's not the kind of thing you hear on every stoner rock EP. 'The Strangest Man Vol. 1' is up on bandcamp for dirt cheap, so you might as well check on it if you're into low-key stoner jams.

THE GOOD KIND OF MUSHROOM - TGKOM EP

Well I was preparing an entirely different The Good Kind of Mushroom feature when this got dropped on me like manna from heaven (that's a pun, not a cliche). Broadly, The Good Kind of Mushroom is a stoner rock duo from Texas who specialize in improv jams and if two long EP's released within the span of a month is any indication, we may be in for a sustained deluge. And that's what this EP is in many respects, a deluge of ideas. But don't let the improv label freak you out. If you've ever participated in improv then you'll know that already worked-out ideas are presented in an unstructured environment and that's what it sounds like we've got here. The ideas are fully developed but they're presented in an unpredictable way. What you get substantively is some good tie-dyed blues mixed with stoner metal, depending on the mood of the exact moment it was recorded. Groovy. I've got to say I like this second EP better than the first, though I thought the first was damn fine, but just for completion's sake, I'm going to include players for both EPs below.

THE WHOREHOUSE MASSACRE - Always Has and Never Has Been

The Whorehouse Massacre has returned with five new songs and 26 minutes of filthy sludge metal. This is excellent stuff. Crashes rain down upon the listener, knocking your head up and down beyond your control. This somewhat mysterious two-man band locks into a relentless groove not entirely unlike a Dopefight, Soyuz Bear or even In The Company of Serpents. They're somewhat mysterious because like Brant Bjork I want to ask "where you from, man?" It's hard to say but for pride's sake I'll consider them Canadian. For those unfamiliar with the band, the vocals are rough-hewn but not obnoxious, it's one of those instances where (slightly) growlier vocals actual match or even enhance the music. I've long been a fan of this underrated band, but I'll leave with a warning to audiophiles: this recording has a lo-fi edge to it, which again enhances the experience for me, but may leave others cold. Their loss.

HORRIBLE NIGHTS - Crypt Vapor

You won't find much dancing here, except maybe a totentanz.

When I plug my nose and dive feet first into the murky waters of "darkwave", "giallo" or "horror synth", this is what I'm looking for, this is my pearl. Crypt Vapor's 'Erotik Maniac' EP appeared on Heavy Chains Records bandcamp page from out of nowhere. I know nothing about this project, who made it or where it comes from. If I had to guess I'd say Australia because that's where the cassette specialty label is based (Tasmania).

What I do know is that 'Erotik Maniac' is a 7 song, 24 minute collection of Carpenter drones and 80's horror film atmospheres. Crypt Vapor is an apt name for the sounds and mental imagery those sounds create. BPMs never reach an obnoxious level, at best the music is at rock n roll tempo, the beat provides a pulse, creating tension. The 7 tracks are split up into 4 main songs with brief, droning interludes between. All parts are equally listenable.

The album title suggests that the music was created with an imaginary slasher film in mind. Though it's always open to listener interpretation, and I make no illusions about deciphering the true intent of the artist, but it isn't hard to imagine the storyline. A shifty eyed or charming pervert (take your pick based on mood), meets, stalks, maims, etc. the object of his desire or (and here's a better vision) attempts to, but the intended victim escapes in the exciting "Red Chase Sequence". What's great about it is that without even having read the track title I heard the music and said, "that is unquestionably some chase music". To me it sounds specifically like subway station chase music which spills out onto crowded, but unsympathetic downtown streets. This is what I love about this genre of horror music, it tells a story, but that story becomes a collaboration between artist and listener.

An added bonus to the bandcamp download is a full 25-minute "tape mix" which puts all seven songs onto one seamless track. Even the cover artwork is an inspiring thing of beauty. Once more, this is perfect horror music, not entirely unlike Slasher Dave, Voyag3r, Videogram or even Zombi when they focus more on thick atmospheric horror textures.

If you're like me and you like your 80's horror film music, and you want to dive in to the next generation of synth composers who have followed in the footsteps of John Carpenter but can't stomach dance music, you could do much worse than starting with Crypt Vapor.

HORRIBLE MONDAYS - Terror en Camino Negro

This three-song EP came out in August, but I've been listening to it again lately and figured it could use a little more time in the sun. It's a FREE DOWNLOAD up on bandcamp so there's no telling if it`s made the rounds or not. This is as close to "what I'm looking for" as you can get when it comes to my horror music without being Blizaro. Horror themes are introduced via keyboard before heavy riffs join the fray. I don't know from this quartet's other songs or recordings, but these three tracks are instrumentals, although their facebook page does list guitarist Facundo Osorio as vocalist. Honestly, these songs don't need vocals. Of particular interest here are the first two songs "Adela Morta" and "Children of the Corn". The latter is a cover of the theme song to, and uses clips from the classic 1984 Fritz Kiersch film based on the Stephen King novella of the same name. If the other two are covers then I don't know or recognize the originals. This is good metallized horror film music, each song carefully builds atmosphere with the keys, but eventually builds into solid songs that stand on their own. The third and final track "Camino Negro" has much more of a stoner rock stamp on it.

COSMIC LETDOWN - Венера

And here we are with another psychedelic album. It's a bloody takeover I tell you. This time we travel to the wintry land of Russia, not exactly the typical setting for the bright, sunny sounds that hearken back to the Summer of Love. But regardless of expectations, 'Венера' (or 'Venera' in English) is the genuine article. Fuzz-coated shoegazing moods and spacey grooves in the traditional psychedelic idiom, right down to the odd middle eastern inflected guitar solo, One thing that intrigues me about in music is how the native language of the songwriter affects its melodic structure. With that in mind, I always find Russian, Finnish and Japanese music to be quite different from that written by English speaking artists and Cosmic Letdown definitely fits that bill. The album is available for absolutely FREE DOWNLOAD on bandcamp, but you can also pick yourself up a CD or cassette is you're so inclined.

OWNER - Shame Face

The impression I get here is that Owner are the Tom Waits of the stoner scene. No, not calliope-infused weirdness Tom Waits, I'm talking smoke-filled blues bar on a Tuesday night Tom Waits. From the early days, back when he knew his entire fanbase by name, her name was Starla and she had VD. This Portland trio is just different. They're a little bit Nick Cave and a little bit Truckfighters. They're so different and unusual you'd swear they were from Finland! Well, my name may not be Starla and I don't have VD, but I am a fan. This 4-song, 24-minute EP is up as a PAY-WHAT-YOU-WANT download on bandcamp, so you can be too at a reasonable price.

MY EXPANSIVE AWARENESS - Self-Titled

My Expansive Awareness are a classic neo-psych band in the Brian Jonestown Massacre mold (the good years), giving us good riffs, driving rhythms, groovy moods and just a hint of darkness. Music for dusk. Not quite day and not quite night, the in-between time when life is at its most exciting and all things are possible. Organs are used judiciously, not gratuitously and never obnoxiously. This is a very good album, not entirely unlike After Glow in smoothness and vibe or a more "together" C.A. Quintet. It's available for NAME-YOUR-PRICE but what swayed me in the end is the band photo, who could I not be charmed by this group shot:

BARRABAS - Messe Pour Un Chien

Cover artwork by Benjamin Moreau.

Still playing catch-up from last year. French sludge mavens Barrabas had a full-length out this past November, which nearly passed by me. I'm going to assume that there are still some stragglers out there, so this one's for you. This album isn't quite what I was expecting. The way I remember it, their last album 'Libérez Barrabas!' was as a muddy punch in the teeth from a slope-browed opportunist. 'Messe Pour Un Chien' is a lean finesse fighter ... uhh ... punching you in the teeth. What I mean to say is, Barrabas is less the macho metal band here and more wizened heavy melodic rockers. Sure, you get your money's worth of snarl and growl, but the emphasis is on dynamic song craft. This isn't what I was expecting, but damn if it doesn't showcase an accomplished band enjoying themselves.

LUNG FLOWER - Death on the Crowsnest EP

Got another heavy Vancouver band for you, and these guys are standouts. I first caught a whiff of Lung Flower about two years ago when they had a different vocalist and slightly different sound. I mean not totally different, but less metal-y. Anyway, the band recently returned with a new vocalist and this bangin' three song EP. This is much heavier than I remember the band being, they sound almost like a NOLA band here, straddling that line between thrash and stoner rock the way Eyehategod does so well. There's also a healthy dollop of grunge ladled on top, not entirely unlike a Tsar Bomba, Satellite Beaver or even Cultura Tres. Anyway this is a PAY-WHAT-YOU-WANT situation so if you're into heavy sludge rock, you'd be a fool not to check this out.

YOU'RE SMILING NOW BUT WE'LL ALL TURN INTO DEMONS - Population IV

You're Smiling Now But We'll All Turn Into Demons: ridiculous name but a serious band. These guys plays psychedelic music over doom riffs. Call the songs paisley nightmares, call them whatever you want but for the Godhead's will you call them? This is solid stuff. It's remarkable when they play a "smiling" kind of riff, then turn into honest-to-goodness demons before your very ears (see "Chapel Perilous"). The album is streaming only over on the band's own bandcamp page, but you can purchase and download the album, or pick yourself up a vinyl copy over at the Cardinal Fuzz Records page (see player below).

MOON - 20 Hours

Don't shoot The Men Out Of Nowhere. There comes a time when all things meet their maker, and so stoner rock traveled back to the birth place and was introduced to the father, blues. The results are explosive. But don't shoot The Men Out Of Nowhere (MOON) they are only the messengers. This German duo put up the long-awaited follow up to their 2011 self-titled debut today, called '20 Hours'. Presumably that's how long it took to record the album from start to finish, but I have no idea. The resulting 40 minute hayride is fuzzy blues, to be sure, but don't expect some Black Keys by a different name. Moon walks their own path and just as well, there's no telling who's on the road to ambush and intercept the message. I've heard and felt the blues in less capable hands and friend, it ain't pretty. This album is ruggedly handsome indeed, in a dusty, punkish way.

LADIES OF LEISURE - Demonstration

Found this awhile ago but had it stuck in wishlist hell for unknown reasons. Six song, half hour demo from a trio of well-dressed guys from Chicago. Thick, occasionally choking levels of fuzz and good driving rhythms. Not much to dislike here, not much at all. It's PAY-WHAT-YOU-WANT so throw a copper in their collective hat and rock out to some great stoner tunes.

THE LUNAR ERA - Red River Black Moon

Another great two song extended play single is by Maine trio The Lunar Era. Psyched-out doomy jams are the order of the day here. It's hard to imagine this FREE DOWNLOAD not catching on. I'd hate to think of the kind of people who wouldn't like this. These young dudes are juuuust stepping out into the spotlight, but it won't be long before they catch on in a big way. First track "Red River" is impressive. It slow cooks to a punkish boil. I've included the second song "Black Moon" on a podcast which I'll upload later, maybe have it up by morning.

Lunar Era's facebook page