From the very first second of the new cut from A Deer A Horse, I was instantly transported. I was instantly back in high school riding a skateboard and skipping school to check out records with my bros. The tracks presented here are so reminiscent of the good old days of grunge and punk. The angst-driven lyrics; the minimalistic approach. I really got into the tones of the guitar. They are very cool and melodic which gives them their own awesome presence.
Let’s take a minute and give a proper shout out to the lovely state of Kentucky because despite not being typically known for its extreme music scene it is somehow home to the bruisers in Knocked Loose. Not familiar with Knocked Loose? Well, just know that in the span of two LPs and a handful of splits and EPs they’ve secured themselves a plum spot in the modern Hardcore pecking order. Let’s skip the formalities, A Different Shade of Blue (Pure Noise) is only going to further entrench these gentlemen into the hearts of slam dancers and tough guys alike.Continue reading
It just was never meant to be. These aren’t just the rantings of a polluted mind, but my sincere consensus after giving Worshipper‘s sophomore effort Light in the Wire (Tee Pee Records) a few spins. ‘Coming Through’ gets things started and feeling like we’re entering a Baroness type soundscape and I with weed pen in hand await with bated breath. Continue reading
Life sucks and then you die. Which totally blows, unless of course, you are living your best life and laughing at dumb stuff on the interwebs every day. We’re not sure what possessed someone to create a video of nothing but the bass-slap intro of Mudvayne’s Nu-Metal anthem ‘Dig” from their debut album LD50. This rules and we can’t stop laughing watching it, and the hilarious faces bassist Ryan Martinie makes. This kind of makes us wish Mudvayne would get back together soon too! How about you? Continue reading
My guess is that Altarage just aren’t fans of people in general. Not in the way I claim to dislike people when I’m hungover on an early Monday morning, but in the I-wouldn’t-mind-if-humanity-just-totally-ceased-existing kind of way. One listen to their third LP The Approaching Roar(Season of Mist) is all I needed to feel convinced that Altarage doesn’t care for me or my eardrums.Continue reading
When The World Becomes Undone (Long Branch Records) is the type of album that at the initial scan I really wanted to love. I’ve discussed my fondness of all things early to mid-nineties Roadrunner Records ad nauseum on other reviews so I’ll spare you the love letter here, but with so much connection between A Pale Horse Named Death and Type O Negative you can likely understand where I’m coming from.Continue reading
Korn revealed over the weekend that, due to unforeseen circumstances, Fieldy will not be playing on their upcoming South American tour. Don’t worry though, because they have a special guest coming in to take his spot. Continue reading
Photo by Chad Lee Photography
Rex Brown will be releasing his first solo record next year, and now we have an exciting new update from the legend. Continue reading
There’s something about summertime that makes stoner/doom even better than normal, isn’t it? The hazy vibes, feeling of sluggish inertia and of course; flowery shirts just don’t work as well when there’s a raging blizzard outside and you can’t feel your toes. Hence Leicester based burnouts Prophets of Saturn’s timely decision to drop sophomore album Retronauts (Independent) when the sun, and most likely your tiny mind, is high in the sky.
Thankfully steering clear of the current retro rock trend where bands are falling over themselves to declare how much they love Black Widow and Dennis Wheatley novels (just ignore the racism), Prophets of Saturn are all about the power of the almighty riff, and it’s not unfair to say they have borrowed one or two from glaringly obvious influences Sleep and Acrimony. The lyrical references to wizards, occultism and weed are to be expected, which may explain why George Sanderson’s vocals are low in the mix; his presence clearly isn’t crucial.
The quartet play a loose, free-flowing form of stoner doom that washes over you like a haze of bong smoke on a sunny afternoon, albeit with a nicely pulsing bass presence that ensures things remain suitably heavy. The pace varies, with ‘Ultra Wizards’ calling to mind Cathedral at their most playful whilst seventeen minute closer ‘Damavand’ is a lysergic hail to the slow and the punishing.
While so many bands of this ilk are content to rip off Electric Wizard, Prophets of Saturn has their own, admittedly blurry identity. Their vibe is more mushroom tea and garish sci-fi paperbacks than Hammer Horror and witchcraft, and although this may mark them as a less threatening prospect, listeners should not be deceived, for Retronauts is a suitably smoky and weighty piece of work that improves with every spin.
7.0/10
JAMES CONWAY
In Flames bassist Peter Iwers has a new signature bass PIB3 out now via Ibanez Guitars. This is his first signature bass, which matches his aggressive and ruthless playing style, with a black finish. It has a five piece maple/bubinga neck, maple body, and dramatic inlay, plus with its Bartolini Custom pickups deliver explosive low end with tone to spare.
It is available for purchase at the following locations: US, UK, EUROPE, and SWEDEN.
