Review: Turin Horse – Prohodna

The second record from German sludge/doom band Turin Horse, ‘Prohodna’, follows last’s year’s debut ‘Uncleared’ with more thunderous riffing, oily atmospheres and a powerful vocal performance, but has it got what it takes to take Turin Horse out of the shadows? It is out now through the band’s Bandcamp page.

The churning, sludgey horrors of the title track immediately comes grinding forward, with shredded vocals roaring over a tar thick riff. Hypnotic dirges of nasty, blackened doom loom and lurch from the darkness, while ghostly clean guitar floats amongst the miasma, creating brief interludes of light and space. The majestic heave of ‘Every Seed Every Stone’ is glorious, while the dissonant ‘I Am the Pain’ adds a new, uncomfortable edge. The thick low end helps with the aural density and the visceral roars that accompany tracks like ‘A Hunger’ really add to the nastiness.

‘Prohodna’ is a thunderous, constant barrage of harsh vocals, churning EyeHateGod riffs and a poisonous, smoggy atmosphere. Turin Horse are violent, smothering and raw, and this record does everything to hit that home hard. There are a few moments of respite (the title track), but they are as dark and mesmerising as the brutality. I love this.

https://turinhorse.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TurinHorse666/

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Review: Era of Ephemeris – Among the Stars

Swedish symphonic metallers Era of Ephemeris have just released their debut record, ‘Among the Stars’, and it looks to catapult them into the conversation as top prospects for this style of operatic, melody and symphony laden metal. However, there is a deep and heavy darkness underneath that proves to be an interesting contrast.

There is a rich vein of symphonic, operatic metal running through Era of Ephemeris, immediately apparent with the soaring opening of ‘When a Leaf Falls’. The band however possess a thicker backbite than your Nightwishes or Within Temptations. The chugging riffing releases their Swedish death metal roots, and the combination of stunning female vocals and this heaviness is magical at times. The ethereal ‘Farewell’ leads with more orchestration, while the thunder of ‘Ancestral Vision’ keeps the death metal elements to the fore.

‘Among the Stars’ is a record of crushing riffs and haunting beauty, where soaring melodies don’t interfere with a brutal crunch. Gloriously epic, Era of Ephemeris have debuted very strongly here, and I look forward to what else is to come.

https://www.facebook.com/eraofephemeris

 

Review: Crucifucked – Four Songs to Ruin Your Life

Spanish metallers Crucifucked have just released their debut EP, ‘Four Tracks to Ruin Your Life’, and look to set out a stall for some hard hitting stuff. Download it from their Bandcamp now!

‘Rotten Roots’ erupts like some old school thrashy death, even featuring your typical Tom G. Warrior grunt, and has a really good energy and almost hard rock quality lurking under the grimy outer layer. ‘The Goat of Mendez’ chugs along with some solid riffs, and there is some nice old school heavy metal riffing patterns later on. ‘Crows of Downtown’ is a little one dimensional though though, and I think the band will struggle to put together a compelling full length on just this style. The imperious opening to ‘Love is War’ shows what they can do though, and this is a great closer.

A solid and promising debut EP, but Crucifucked have got some work to build on this and create something a little more original and inventive to stand out. Nothing much to criticise here but there hopefully is more to come.

https://crvcifvcked.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.facebook.com/crvcifvcked/

Review: Flame, Dear Flame – The Millennial Heartbeat

The embryonic utterances from Germany’s Flame, Dear Flame have coalesced into their debut EP, ‘The Millennial Heartbeat’, coming out in early April as a self released piece. Under the smoke shrouded cover art you will find some epic, misted doom at work.

‘Part I’ oozes gloomily from your speakers, all groaning clean guitar melodies and fuzzed riffs, and a electrifying female lead vocal that will send shivers through you. A definite child of the occult rock influence upon doom in recent years, Flame, Dear Flame keep a grasp upon lumbering doom riffs as the anchor for their more esoteric moments. The ancient fingers of old Candlemass slither into sections of ‘Part II’, but there is a more morose element playing its part in the background here. A cold melancholy swept from the likes of My Dying Bride seeps in, condensing in the miserable triumph of ‘Part III’, which merges crushing riffs with haunting vocals to create a true sense of gloom.

‘The Millennial Heartbeat’ creaks and groans under the potential lurking here. The grasp of melody, the sweep of heft and delicate touches and the mesmerising vocal performance will leave you breathless. Flame, Dear Flame are a triumphant revelation, and I can’t recommend this more. Seriously. They made me not mind having to spell millennial wrong half a dozen times. GET THIS IMMEDIATELY!

https://www.facebook.com/flamedearflame/

https://flamedearflame.bandcamp.com/releases

Review: Vorga – Radiant Gloom

The debut EP of multinational melodic black metallers Vorga, ‘Radiant Gloom’ is a four track blast of warming black metal for these frigid winter nights. It has just been released independently, and is available through Bandcamp.

Opening track ‘The Black Age’ is a thick, chunky slab of blood-drenched black metal fury. Enschewing the standard feelings of ice and bleak coldness, Vorga attack with blood running from their mouths, fiery and primal in their assault. The production is rich, the musicianship is great and the riffing, while slightly derivative in places, has enough oomph behind it to put it above your carbon copy, cut and paste black metal band. ‘Argil’ has a thread of melody, running like a vein up a shredded arm, while the howl of ‘Divine’ has an intense gallop to it.

Closing with the vibrant thunder of ‘Hunger’, Vorga’s debut supplies you with plenty to be excited about. A black metal band not trying too hard to be kvlt and instead creating some great songs with a superb tone to them. This is hopefully going to lead to a bright future for them, and I look forward to more.

https://www.facebook.com/VorgaBand/

https://vorga.bandcamp.com/releases

https://vorga.de/

Review: Hesperian Death Horse – Živ

Croatian avantgarde/sludge/post metal group Hesperian Death Horse have released the second part in their trilogy of records, ‘Ziv’, meaning ‘Alive’. This follows on from 2013’s ‘Mrtav’ (‘Death’) and will see a final part in 2020 called ‘Rodjen’ (Born’), creating a cyclical musical journey that we can all relate to. It was self released by the band in August.

Bleak, atonal clean guitar floats out of opener ‘Saol (Part 1: Prizma)’, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere that builds and builds. An almost black metal vibe creeps throughout, with distorted guitar shimmering behind ritualistic vocals. It’s all a little weird, but in a good way. ‘Elu (Part 2: Voda) drives forward, harder but with the same eerie vibe. The atonal clashing, almost psychedelic rhythms of ‘Hayot (Part 3: Mezanin)’ is hypnotic, weaving strange esoterica in the almost foggy atmosphere generated here. The closing ‘Liv (Part 4: Horde)’ sounds like a wormhole vomiting otherdimensional terror on an unsuspecting world, and will leave you shivering.

‘Ziv’ is a fascinating piece of music; a swirling, miasmic entity that is impossible to pin down to a genre or even a melody sometimes. Riffs sway in and out, heaviness is achieved more through the otherworldly weirdness than basic guitar and bass work but nonetheless Hesperian Death Horse have wrought mesmerising shapes from the darkness. Enthralling stuff, and I look forward to the completion of the trilogy.

https://hesperiandeathhorse.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/HesperianDeathHorse/

Review: Withered Fist – This is My Mountain

Withered Fist is made up of former and current members of Irish sludge/doom band Two Tales of Woe, and have just released a debut EP entitled ‘This is My Mountain’ on New Year’s Day. A three track EP of slow and melodic heaviness awaits those who seek and find this band.

A gloomy, clean guitar leads us to the start of the journey, while a soulful vocal glides over some fuzzed out riffs. Sounding like some heavier, lost 70s prog gem, Withered Fist are captivating immediately with their unique voice. You’re not likely to hear anything like this in a lot of modern doom. There’s no nihilistic grinding misery, no galloping sword and sorcery. This feels like the earthy rumble of a simpler time, where a great vocal and an epic riff was enough. Withered Fist bring it all in the first track, let alone the insatiable groove of ‘The Dread’ or the sprawling closer ‘The Journey’. ‘This is My Mountain’ is the vessel for what could be a truly special musical output for the future.

My first truly great experience of 2019; a record that will haunt me all year with its simple purity of spirit and raw honesty that spills from every facet. Withered Fist had me invested from the first track, and I’m going to be listening to this all year long. It has been a long time since I came across a record that makes me want everyone I know to hear it. Just, yeah, beautiful!

https://witheredfist.bandcamp.com/releases