ALBUM REVIEW: Khanate – Clean Hands Go Foul – Capture and Release


Having reemerged from its dank void of horror to release To Be Cruel in 2023, deconstructed-avant-doom entity Khanate continues to be pulled piece-by-piece from the mud, as the band’s third and fourth records — 2005’s Capture & Release and 2009’s Clean Hands Go Foul (Sacred Bones Records) — get shined and buffed for physical reissues. Continue reading


Sunn O))) Announce 25th Anniversary Rehearsal Demo LP and Kick Off US Tour


Cult drone metal band, Sunn O))), have announced an exclusive split-label release from Southern Lord records and Ideologic Organ records; the 25th Anniversary Rehearsal Demo LP. Limited to 1,000 machine numbered copies, it is only available on tour, and core members, Greg Anderson and Stephen O’Malley, have just set out on a US run. Find more details below.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Khanate – To Be Cruel – Sacred Bones Records


 

Seemingly coming out of the blue — like the sudden emergence of a horrible memory buried for years — drone doom supergroup Khanate returns with To Be Cruel (released digitally on May 19th and on physical formats on June 30th via Sacred Bones Records) the group’s first album since 2009’s Clean Hands Go Foul. Shrouded in secrecy prior to its release, To Be Cruel delivers three tracks and 62 mins of harsh, cold, sparse, experimental sounds fit to ruin any good day. 

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GUEST POST: Stephen O’Malley of Sunn O))) Shares His Eleven Most Loved Albums in 2019


Underground music legend Stephen O’Malley is perhaps best known for his work with Drone Metal gods Sunn O))), but has had a hand shaping heavy music in one form or another as an artist, producer, and label owner for three decades. Sunn O)))’s 2019 release Life Metal drew universal acclaim. Stephen has been kind enough to share eleven albums he loved in 2019 with our readers. Some of these albums are not from this year, or even recent decades, but are all albums he vibed with and worth checking out. Continue reading


SunnO))) – Life Metal


Secrecy surrounds the release of Sunn O)))‘s latest opus Life Metal (Southern Lord Records), aimed for a limited release on Record Store Day. Who can blame them? With albums by megastars falling victim to hacks and illegal leaks, it’s frustrating but somewhat understandable to be reviewing a product after it’s initial release. Whatever the strategy an epic journey is guaranteed and, with four tracks spanning seventy minutes, the album doesn’t disappoint in that regard.Continue reading


Thorr’s Hammer Drummer Jamie Sykes Battles Cancer, GoFundMe Launched


Thorr’s Hammer was a seminal 1990s doom metal band from the pacific northwest/Norway that included Sunn O))) and Goatsnake members Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson. Now former drummer Jamie Sykes, who has been battling several medical conditions, has gotten a preliminary diagnosis of Renal Cell Carcinoma, or a mass on one of his kidneys. Jamie’s family has set up a Gofundme campaign to help with the mounting medical costs. Please help if you can, and if you can’t donate, a simple click of the share button will aid in raising awareness. Continue reading


Kjeld Added To Roadburn, Festival Begins Next Week


Long-revered European music festival Roadburn kicks off four days of heavy, avant-garde and challenging music and art experiences in Tilburg, NL. Dutch black metal entity Kjeld has been added to the bill due to Cocatenatus dropping off due to a family situation. In a post, Roadburn founder and creative force Walter Hoeijmakers updated attendees on the last minute changes to the bill.Continue reading


Roadburn Announces Cul De Sac Lineup And Pre-Party


Roadburn 2018 is shaping up to be another incredible festival. In addition to the main lineup of bands, and special programs, Roadburn has announced its Cul de Sac lineup of special bands in Roadburn’s most intimate venue as well as the site of its Pre-Party. The festival takes place, as always, Tilburg, NL between April 19-22 and tickets are expected to sell out as usual. Continue reading


Gravetemple – Impassable Fears


Very few pairings can channel and embrace the art of compelling and near inaudible noise as an art form as Stephen O’Malley and Atilla Csihar of SunnO))) (and Mayhem in the latter’s case). A partnership formed with SunnO))), they have proven to be champions of incredibly dissident and daunting soundscapes within Drone and experimental Ambient musci, in as close to pigeonholing as is possible. Following on from 2007’s debut of alternative project Gravetemple, Impassable Fear (Svart Records) offers yet another snapshot into their striking vision.Continue reading


GUEST POST: Faith Coloccia Of Mamiffer Best Of 2016


Ghost Cult once again brings you “End Of Year” lists, memories, and other shenanigans from our favorite bands, partners, music industry peers, and other folks we respect across the world. Today we are honored to have Mamiffer co-leader Faith Coloccia who shares her eclectic list with us. If you aren’t familiar with Faith’s musical output or any of her other ende+avours (she’s a baddass renaissance woman) look her up!

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