For the most part, Solstafir’s seventh full-length album follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, 2017’s Berdreyminn (Season of Mist). The songwriting still largely favors the band’s subdued side with influences ranging from Post Punk, Prog Rock, and Ambient greatly informing the Post Metal whole. Tracks like ‘Rokkur’ and ‘Her Fall From Grace’ are heavy on atmosphere with extensive space to breathe and ‘Or’ throws a curveball with its almost Jazz-tinged rhythms.
Ghost Cult is honored to join the ranks of past, present and future Gimme Metal hosts this week as our chief, Keefy, hosts our very own “Join The Cult” special! He’ll bring you a two-hour show of killer tunes this Thursday, November 5th at 11 AM EST with our own curated playlist of awesome metal tracks from across Death Metal, Stoner Doom, Prog, Thrash, Viking, Dark Folk, Black Metal, and more! Sign up for FREE with the app or online, tune in and let’s !@#$%^& rage! Continue reading
This year has been as chaotic as anyone has ever seen. And for chaotic times we need good, solid, tight riffs, and Junior Bruce provides them on their album Pray For Death (Sludgelord Records). The Florida quintet brings an album with absolute bangers for fans of Stoner/Sludge Metal. Having a clash of different styles, Pray for Death is an album that reflects the collective anger society has against whatever anyone they choose to be mad about, still combining a certain melancholy that grows some of the most interesting aspects of Junior Bruce.
When listening to Forgotten Days (Nuclear Blast), Pallbearer’s fourth full-length, it’s hard to remember a time when they were ever this riff-driven. The title track sets an immediate precedent with its beginning feedback transitioning into pummeling yet catchy verses, a surprisingly hooky chorus, and a softer bridge that manages to keep the momentum going. ‘The Quicksand Of Existing’ and ‘Vengeance Ruination’ serve up even more heaviness in the album’s second half with the former’s straightforward chugs standing out. Considering past jabs I’ve made about Pallbearer being one of the most riff-adverse groups in Doom Metal, it’s a very refreshing change of pace.
Spirit Adrift could’ve followed the more accessible bent of 2019’s Divided In Darkness with more of the same but chose to mix things up to an even greater degree with their fourth full-length album. The tug o’ war between Doom and Traditional Metal that has defined their style has turned in the latter’s favor with more songs taking on upbeat tempos. The lyrics have also undergone a noticeable attitude adjustment with a decidedly optimistic outlook and an emphasis on metaphysical galactic imagery. There are enough common denominators to help Enlightened In Eternity (20 Buck Spin/Century Media) fit in with their established trajectory, but it may be their most drastic sound shift thus far.
Those who deserted Pisa-based riff kings, Mr. Bison, after their 2012 debut album We’ll Be Brief (Dracma Records) will recognise neither the physical nor the sonic entity that exists today. Only guitarist/vocalist Matteo Barsacchi remains from that initial incarnation, now replenished by two more Matteos – vocalist/guitarist Sciocchetto and drummer D’Ignazi – and the dry, ZZTop-influenced sound of that first effort has been gradually replaced by an oft euphoric leaning towards a form of Desert Psychedelia as progressive as it is retrospective. Their fourth album Seaward (Subsound Records / Ripple Music) is the band’s biggest step forward yet, displaying a level of invention and confidence that is both profound and joyous.Continue reading
While All Is Lost (Grimoire Records) is the second album that Yatra has released in 2020, it is hardly a retread of its predecessor. The extreme elements that were merely blooming on Blood Of The Night are pushed to even further extents this time around. The drums have a much more aggressive presence with several busy fills on display while the fuzzy guitar and bass tones are much fuller. It never goes into full Blackened territory, but the more active Stoner-Sludge approach makes their High On Fire influence even more apparent.Continue reading
After a few out-of-genre collaborations with Lume and Catchechism, REZN’s third proper album returns to their signature Electric Wizard meets Elder on Quaaludes style. Chaotic Divine (Off The Record Label) is right in line with its predecessors, for the most part, pairing the sprawling length of 2017’s Let It Burn with the broadened atmospherics and instrumentation of 2018’s Calm Black Water. However, the heightened Ambient and Post Rock influences have resulted in what is easily their most ambitious effort so far.
Time to win some free shit! Oakland, California’s awesome Unknown Controller Records has relaunched and Ghost Cult is helping them celebrate! The indie label is headed by musician Paul Kott (Kalas, High Tone Son of a Bitch) and they are kicking things off with a cool, cassette-only series featuring releases from HTSoB, Ails (ex-Ludicra, Abrupt), Keverra (current and ex-Goatsnake, -(16)-) and Worshipper. You can win the entire cassette series right here, right now! Enter at the links below, but before you do, jam out to this awesome new HTSOB track “Tribute’, featuring High on Fire / Sleep guitarist Matt Pike!Continue reading
Zakk Sabbath, led by Black Label Society and Ozzy Osbourne shredder Zakk Wylde, has an unlikely hit on their hands. Released by the great label Magnetic Eye, known for sick bands, tons of stoner doom original releases, and tribute albums, Vertigo, is a tribute to Black Sabbath’s historic debut album which invented heavy metal and doom metal and turned 50 in 2019. The album, released only in physical versions and without online streams still ranked worldwide on the charts, due to physical sales (Deluxe CD vinyl). The label issued a statement on the release in light of charting., which you can see below. Zakk Sabbath also includes legends of rock and metal such as bassist Blasko (Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Zombie), and drummer Joey Castillo (Danzig, Queen Of The Stone Age, Bloodclot),