With another calendar year of stellar heavy, alternative and progressive music behind us, we continue our countdown of the best of the best albums, as voted for by the Ghost Cult global team. People Power Part I took us from 70 through to 26, Part II took us down the back straight, ticking off albums 25 to 11, and now we come round the final bend and as Part III presents the albums that charted 10 through 2 of the Ghost Cult Albums Of The Year, 2018.
I guess Deathkings really missed us since the release of 2016’s All That is Beautiful and decided to do something really nice about it. Being the sweethearts that they are this Los Angeles collective have gifted us a little something in the form a new EP, Ex Nihilo (self-released). And while it’s only two tracks on the shorter end of the spectrum (compared to the usual Sludge/Doom fare) it’s a potent and deadly reminder of what Deathkings is capable of.Continue reading
As the Ghost Cult Albums of the Year 2018 run-down approaches the business end, picking up where Part 1 left off, we invite you to peruse the albums that, democratically voted for by the entire crew, make our Top 25 and didn’t just prick up our ears, but smashed their way into our hearts and minds. Read on…
Doom band Hamferð have released a live video recording of “Evst”, the title track off the band’s 2013 debut LP. Hailing from the Faroe Islands, the band made the clip at the release show for their latest album, Tamsins likam, on March 17th, 2018 at the old Sjonleikarahusið theater in Torshavn. The new album is out now via Metal Blade Records, and you can watch the video below.
Singer Jon Aldara commented:
“This concert was a meticulous production in regards to performance, sound and lighting, and we felt it was the perfect opportunity to record it properly. It’s a great feeling to have a live recording of Hamferð that does not come from an iPhone or from a festival production that we had little to no control over. We took everything in our own hands and went the whole nine yards with a brilliant crew and all the high-end equipment we could get our hands on. Luckily, I really think it shows!”
Hamferð will head out on a tour of Scandinavia this week, notably playing Sweden for the first time in their 10-year long career. See below for all dates!
Hamferð tour dates w/ Svartmalm
Dec. 5 – Kobenhavn, Denmark – Beta 2300
Dec. 6 – Odense, Denmark – Posten
Dec. 7 – Goteborg, Sweden – Sticky Fingers w/ October Tide
Dec. 8 – Oslo, Norway – Revolver
Dec. 9 – Trondheim, Norway – Hjorten Scene
Tamsins likam was released in January via Metal Blade Records! To preview and purchase the album, please visit: https://www.metalblade.com/hamferd
Hamferð line-up:
Jon Aldara – Vocals
John Egholm – Guitar
Theodor Kapnas – Guitar
Isak Petersen – Bass
Esmar Joensen – Keyboards
Remi Johannesen – Drums
Hamferð online:
https://www.facebook.com/Hamferd/
https://www.twitter.com/hamferd
https://www.instagram.com/hamferdofficial
https://www.youtube.com/hamferdofficial
By the time the final album for 2018 is released, from Watain’s Trident Wolf Eclipse (Century Media) to Sulpher Aeon’s The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos (Van) – both of which were reviewed by Gary Alcock, and neither of which made the final list, trivia fans, – over 1,000 albums will have passed through the Ghost Cult reviews inbox, we will have covered just shy of 550 releases (we do a fair bit of filtering to protect our writers ears from some of the less inspiring releases), and our entire crew will have nominated and voted for 244 of them to be considered as our #1 for the year.Continue reading
DC area Doom Metal band Ilsa were having a bang-up year with their springtime release of their excellent album Corpse Fortress on Relapse Records and a ton of touring. They recently also put out a split EP with Greta. Sadly, right before Thanksgiving, they were robbed in Seattle, Washington outside of the Sheraton Four Points Hotel. The was a devastating blow to the band and they lost irreplaceable gear (full list in the post below). On a good note, friends of the band are putting on a benefit show on February 2nd. Hosted by promoters Ripping Headaches and Crowbars Up and held at Atlas Brew Works in DC, the show will feature Inter Arma, Earthling, Total Maniac and Ampallang Infection. All proceed will go to the band as well as any other donations taken that night. It sucks when bad things happen to cool people, but it’s good when others come together to lend support. If you can’t support the event by going, please consider buying some albums or merch from Ilsa so we can list their spirits and get them back to business soon.
Nottingham duo Bismuth, as its name implies, is renowned for its crushing, unflinching take on Doom and Drone. Sophomore album The Slow Death Of The Great Barrier Reef (Medusa Crush Recordings) is largely comprised of the thirty-two minute title track and is as moving as it is difficult, as absorbing as it is challenging.Continue reading
For an album titled True Misery (Wasted State Records), Old Man Lizard never sound like they’re sticks in the mud or total bummers. I mean there are patches of Sabbath gloom all throughout this third LP, but it never reaches Primitive Man suicide watch levels of anguish. And maybe it doesn’t have to either.Continue reading
On the back of the brilliant debut full-length album, Mire (Holy Roar), UK Extreme Progressive Metal urchins Conjurer are set to head out round the UK with monolithic slabdraggers Conan. To prepare for a pairing heavier than a set of tectonic plates, Conor Marshall, Conjurer’s bass monkey, reminisced on what a great gig really needs… fuck riffs, innit…Continue reading
Rising UK doom metal band Bast have streamed their entire new album Nanoångström ahead of its release on Black Bow Records tomorrow. The album features guest vocals from Chris Naughton of Winterfylleth on two tracks.
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