AMAROK
"Devoured"
Translation Loss Records
California sludge/doom outfit AMAROK debut their first full length in partnership with Translation Loss Records entitled "Devoured". With four epic and expansive tracks spanning almost 70 minutes, AMAROK take their listeners on a sorrowful journey of epic proportions. Vast and powerful, AMAROK prey on your darkest phobias imparting the perception of nearly drowning, the claustrophobic sensation of being held under water until the last second when released and gasping for air. Each track delivers focused and fearless journeys through harrowing, metallic riffs and rips through bleak, unsettling atmosphere while cataclysmic waves of bass and drums pummel from the inside out.
"On 'Devoured', AMAROK combine melodiously haunting funeral doom metal with painfully distorted, gnawing drone sounds. Feels like disturbing Khanate interpret Pallbearer-style hymns of grief and despair!" – Doom Metal Front
"On 'Devoured', AMAROK combine melodiously haunting funeral doom metal with painfully distorted, gnawing drone sounds. Feels like disturbing Khanate interpret Pallbearer-style hymns of grief and despair!" – Doom Metal Front
AMAROK formed in Chico, California in 2009. They released their first self-titled EP in October of 2010 followed by three well-received splits with Hell, Enth and Pyramido. AMAROK have played multiple tours up and down the west coast with notable bands such as Cough, Bell Witch, Floor, Samothrace, Noothgrush, Weedeater, Atriarch and more.
"Devoured" was produced by Sanford Parker and mastered by James Plotkin.
"With the band moving towards long form doom with complex, evolving riffs and dynamic changes, collectively we felt that our material warranted a call to Sanford Parker", recalls bassist/vocalist Brandon Squyres. "We booked a short west coast tour to meet with Sanford in LA at Big Bad Studios and spent a week collaborating with him on material and playing with his extreme noise style to compliment the intensity of the new songs. We then sent the recordings to James Plotkin to master, and spent a month dialing everything in to perfect the albums enormous live sound".
More infos HERE!
DOOMED
"6 Anti-Odes To Life"
Solitude Productions
There are few bands around in the slow paving music genre with a programmatic name. So with DOOMED, who are originated in Germany's far eastern province Saxony. They have released six full- length albums within six years on the respected Russian doom metal label Solitude Productions. Their newest effort is called "6 Anti-Odes To Life" serving six plus one lengthy tracks about representative topics that could lead to reject human existence and life at all.
"On '6 Anti-Odes To Life', DOOMED take you on a multi-faceted trip through the horrors of life combining old school doom and death metal with vast, progressively evolving soundscapes full of tons heavy guitar riffs and beautifully chanting leads. It's both a melancholic symphony and a sonic statement to defend life against the real existing adversities." – Doom Metal Front
"There are so many situations in life I despise", says DOOMED mastermind and multi-instrumentalist Pierre Laube, "like death, parting, ignorance, competition and greed, the ruination of Mother Earth, religion, uncertainty, sickness, threat, war – a never ending story. This is what I tell about in '6 Anti-Odes ...' but in the final seventh track – 'Layers - Ode to Life' –, which is proving in melancholic manner that I actually love living. I'm virtually absorbing life, embracing it – I want to stay! Finally, this instrumental song dissolves the album's overall mood. Feel invited to read my thoughts about it in the booklet!"
"6 Anti-Odes To Life" is way more melancholic and leaving the progressive death metallic paths entered on "Anna", DOOMED's acclaimed predecessor. Pierre returns to the essence of doom taking much time to evolve a massive wall of sound.
"Of course, there are nasty parts as well", Pierre adds. "It still matters to be uncomfortable, and to combine layer after layer, melodies and create connections. There's so much cinema in my head when creating music. The album is both a step back, stylistically, and forward when talking about new influences like pointed post-metal elements, vast soundscapes and loads of flow, which I dig a lot."
In 2018, DOOMED is far away from the standard death doom metal of their early days writing ambitious multifaceted and highly empathetic music that is channeling anger and frustration in pure sonic beauty. For the first time Pierre is singing the clean parts himself proving that his vocal skills are as impressive as the abyssal growls. Adding his brother Yves into the compositorial process, who is playing all main guitar leads on the album, DOOMED has become something like a real band leaving its strict one-man project character.
Guest musicians:
Willjiam Nijhof (vocals – Faal)
Andreas Kaufmann (vocals – Charon, Hatespawn, Purgatory)
Uwe Reinholz (acoustic guitar)
More infos HERE!
DRUG CULT
s/t
Ritual Productions
The rite is a 9-track vortex of majestic heaviness laced with an evocative psychedelic haze, whereby classic melodies meld with fuzz-drenched riffs cultivating an enticing potion of technicolour wickedness. Although a grooving heavyweight tone drives throughout the rite, a darkened presence is forever evident, hexing you into DRUG CULT’s realm.
"DRUG CULT's self-titled debut serves female fronted, hypnotically rolling occult doom metal unmistakably nourishing itself from the billowing womb of the stoned master wizard!" – Doom Metal Front
"DRUG CULT's self-titled debut serves female fronted, hypnotically rolling occult doom metal unmistakably nourishing itself from the billowing womb of the stoned master wizard!" – Doom Metal Front
Formed at the edge of Mt. Jerusalem in the hills of Mullumbimby, Australia, DRUG CULT is the alchemic workings of guitarist Vin Steele (ex-Wolfmother, Megaritual, Sun Of Man), vocalist Aasha Tozer, drummer Dale Walker (Megaritual, Sun Of Man) and bassist Maggie Schreiber. Their elemental craft has been brewing since April 2015, shaping the vision of a heavy celestial voyage through atmospheric sound connection.
The band's first offering was recorded live at Rocking Horse Studios, Byron Bay during Solstice December 2016, with George Carpenter at the recording and production helm and mastered by Brian Lucey of Magic Garden Mastering.
More infos HERE!
KING HEAVY
"Guardian Demons"
Cruz Del Sur Music
KING HEAVY's "Guardian Demons" reflects the most visceral edge of their first EP, "Horror Absoluto", and the sophisticated side of the self-titled debut but closer to traditional Heavy Metal and to the darkest Epic Doom.
"Once more, KING HEAVY showcase Chilean doom power on 'Guardian Demons', which is deeply rooted in 80s epic metal and characterized by Luce Vee's unique extroverted vocal style!"
Two years in the making, the album leads to the most classic sound of Trouble, Judas Priest melted with the sound of Northern Europe as Minotauri or Reverend Bizarre. Featuring HOODED PRIEST’s singer Luce Vee and founding PROCESSION member and ex-bassist Daniel Saa, the band will embark on an European tour in October 2018 performing at the Doom Over Vienna festival among others.
Tracklist:
1. Guardian Demon (7:12)
2. (Death is but an extreme form of) Narcosis (6:58) 3. Doom Shall Rise (6:59)
4. Cult Of The Cloven Hoof (5:19)
5. Come My Disciples (10:15)
6. As in a Nightmare (6:39)
Line-up:
Luce Vee – Vocals
Matias Aguirre – Guitar
Daniel Pérez Saa – Bass
Miguel Canessa – Drums
Discography:
Horror Absoluto (2014)
King Heavy (2014, Cruz Del Sur Music)
Live in Malta (2017)
Guardian Demons (2018, Cruz Del Sur Music)
More infos HERE!
THE RED COIL
"Himalayan Demons"
Argonauta Records
THE RED COIL released the first three tracks Ep “Slough Off” in 2009. On April 2013, their debut album "Lam" came out including ten songs, recorded and mixed by Andrea Garavaglia (Mesmerize) and mastered by Jacob Bredahl (Hatesphere, Allhelluja) at Dead Rat Studio (Denmark). The album received very good feedback and positive reviews. The Red Coil played a lot of live shows in the north of Italy, very appreciated for their energy and raw attitude. In autumn 2015 the bass player Toni decided to left the band, when a lot of new songs was quite ready. The Red Coil announced the new bass player Gelindo in December 2015 and immediately started working and arranging the new material. The new album, "Himalayan Demons", is highly recommended to fans of Iron Monkey, Spiritual Beggars or Corrosion Of Conformity.
"THE RED COIL unleash the 'Himalayan Demons', serving a sludge-infested groovy southern metal/stoner bastard!" – Doom Metal Front
Tracklist:
1. Withdrawal Syndrome Wall
2. Godforsaken
3. Oriental Lodge
4. Opium Smokers Room
5. The Shroud
6. Moksha
7. The Eyes of Kathmandu