Review: Eye of Solitude – Slaves to Solitude

The fifth full length from London’s Eye of Solitude continues their dark and miserable journey into the darkest parts of funeral doom. ‘Slaves to Solitude’ is only five tracks, but stretches to almost an hour, so you know that there is some epic misery coming your way. This is out now

The monstrous, dirging ‘The Blind Earth’ draws us from our earthly homes and takes us by the hand into the gloom. Titan riffs crash through the murk, while powerful growls roar like a fell wind through your mind. It is so vast, so dense it is almost unbearably heavy upon your shoulders. ‘Still Descending’ is, somehow, even more morose and bleak. Occasionally piano notes and the clean vocals add melancholy and an air of the fragile. Cracks within a mighty wall, where the merest hints of the sadness underneath can show through.

Carving riffs from cyclopean cliffs, and drawing vocals from the deepest and most foul abysses, Eye of Solitude have created something magnificent here. ‘Slaves to Solitude’ is huge, depressing and an unbearable weight upon your psyche. Nothing should be this heavy, but somehow it is. The sound of mountains crumbling, tectonic plates rending, the voice of death itself. Stunning.

http://eyeofsolitude.com/

https://www.facebook.com/eyeofsolitudeband/

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Review: Valyria – Into the Dying of Time

Canadian ‘more death than power’ metallers Valyria return to us with their first full length album after a strong EP debut. ‘Into the Dying of Time’ came out around May time with an independent release, and it really adds a bite of melodeath to their progressive, power metal moments.

After a dramatic, keyboard led intro piece (‘Final Empire’), first track proper ‘Steel Inquisition’ brings a strong comparison to the likes of Wintersun and Kiuas with the galloping guitar melodies, punishing double kicks and a soaring melodic power that matches the intensity. Based upon the ‘Mistborn’ saga of Brandon Sanderson, one of my favourite fantasy series, I must admit a little pre-bias on this, but this is an absolute stormer of a track. The guitar work is often technical and epic, while the massive choruses in the likes of ‘Floating World’ and ‘Tome of Shattered Vessels’ especially are instantly memorable and fist pumping. The grandiose scale is met well and truly equally by a heaviness that is often lacking in power metal pomposity.

I cannot help but be a sucker for well done, heavy power metal and Valyria hit the spot for me perfectly. There’s a fine blend of heavy riffing and epic, sweeping scale, where it isn’t over the top or ridiculous. Valyria haven’t succumbed entirely to the operatic/falsetto realms of power metal, and with the extra bite provided in here, that is to be applauded. ‘Into the Dying of Time’ is a stellar slab of modern, technical and epic metal.

https://www.facebook.com/ValyrianSteelCanada

https://valyriansteelcanada.bandcamp.com/

Review: Pink Cocoon – Alienation

The dreaded ‘modern doom blues’ moniker hangs over this release from Canadians Pink Cocoon, which generally means subpar Pentagram and Sabbath riffs played with ‘genuine atmosphere’ etc. But not in this case. ‘Alienation’ is a record that hums with a vibe and a talent that belies the newness of the band. It is out now through the band themselves.

‘Help Me’ instantly hits with a swaggering, Electric Wizard vibe to it; the guitar coated with a fuzz while the vocals have a little of Lee Dorrian about them too. Fully absorbed into the world of squalling feedback solos and a psychedelic blues atmosphere, Pink Cocoon immediately step above the rest of the Witchcraft clones by being truly doom in their output. ‘No Control’ has a more early Sabbath RAWK to it, while the lazy drawl of ‘Old Lady at the Window’ is a tripped out gem. And the more said about the grimy doom and roll of closer ‘Child of Death’ the better, as Pink Cocoon save the best for last.

Pink Cocoon capture the essence of trippy doom laden blues perfectly, equal parts retro fuzz and swaying psychedelic weirdness. If you’re into Uncle Acid, Electric Wizard and Sabbath, then Pink Cocoon have plenty hidden underneath their amplifier stack to keep you hooked. ‘Alienation’ is the future of retro doom.

https://www.pinkcocoonband.com/music

https://www.facebook.com/PinkCocoonOfficial/

Review: Soul Attrition – Vashon Rain

A solo project from Chicago noise/sludge trio Escape is Not Freedom bassist Josh Parlette, Soul Attrition’s debut has been described as a combination of post metal, grunge and sludge, focusing on haunting melody and pummelling riffs to create something emotional and driving. Sound pretty good to me so far! It is out on the 13th of July this year.

The cool, fuzzy riff that opens ‘Sinking’ instantly adds a dash of Alice in Chains in there, but without that Staley snarl it feels softer. Rumbling post metal and sludge riffs underpin most of this record, with the solid ‘Thirteen’ bringing to mind Kylesa’s soulful earthiness. ‘Vashon Rain’ is a record full of this wistful introspection, a desire for something just beyond its reach. The ghostly ‘Fatal Flaw’ is excellent; imagine latter Katatonia meeting mid period Kylesa and you’re about there.

‘Vashon Rain’ has a melancholic edge to it that is a real change from the more barbed, raging vibe that a lot of sludge/post-metal groups do. In some places, it does lack the heaviness that I think it needs but in its place there is a definitive identity and a fragility that is noteworthy. I think Soul Attrition have placed fine and solid foundations on which to compose what could be a masterpiece.

https://www.facebook.com/soulattrition/

https://soulattrition.bandcamp.com/album/vashon-rain

Review: ISA – Chimera

A one man, psychedelic progressive death metal project from the US, ISA is certainly an interesting and unique prospect in this overfilled world of extremity. A self released piece, ‘Chimera’ certainly lives up to its many headed, ferocious namesake.

The dreamy ‘[dusk]’ swells into the scatterbrained ‘Stage I: Descent’, which swings between nasty scowling deathroars and lush acoustics. The rest of the album follows this method, swaying wildly from heavy brutality and sweet melodic goodness. Not quite djenty but definitely aware of a good groove riff or two, the crush of ‘Stage VI: Lust’ is excellent. But it’s all the space in between the heaviness that appeals to me here. The dreamy rumblings of ‘Stage V: Reflections’ is beautiful, while the meandering ‘Stage VIII: Ocean’ is a perfect combination of everything we’ve come across already on this record.

At all times ethereal, ‘Chimera’ is an interesting blend of death metal and some truly psyched out melodic moments that give you all kinds of good feelings. Clearly a labour of love, ISA’s work here is a credit to him and his vision, as ‘Chimera’ is a sprawling, ambitious work of modern heaviness.

https://dcurhan.bandcamp.com/album/chimera

https://www.facebook.com/isadanband

Review: Faceless Mother – The Thing That Lurks

Melodic death metal from Pakistan? The variety and spread of metal across the world will never fail to amaze me. Faceless Mother’s EP ‘The Thing That Lurks’ comes to us from Karachi, and is a three track rager available now through their bandcamp.

Ripping straight from the melodeath playbook, opener ‘Beholder’ has a nice gallop to it and some great guitar melodies to it, while the mournful ‘The Baying of Crows’ has some absolutely fantastic, melancholic riffs. This is definitely feels more like a dark death metal record than more traditional melodeath, but the nice guitar work keeps them hooked to the genre.

Closing with the driving title track, I think Faceless Mother’s debut has got a bit of potential to it. The production isn’t great, but the riffing and songwriting all shows promise and I think in particular the melancholic touches of ‘The Baying of Crows’ is definitely worth the price of admission. Keep an eye on these guys.

https://facelessmother.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.facebook.com/facelessmother

Review: Order Ov Riven Cathedrals – Göbekli Tepe

These mysterious Italians do not hang about, with their new record ‘Göbekli Tepe’ coming out only a year after last year’s debut ‘The Discontinuity’s Interlude’. Order ov Riven Cathedral’s spiralling death metal is a creation of the stranger forces in our universe, and beyond. It is out now and available through the band’s Bandcamp.

Massive waves of blastbeats underpin a cacophonous assault of huge roars and technical death metal insanity. ‘Worship ov Abduction’ is like a howling gale of death metal, and like fellow countrymen Hour of Penance brings you to the very edge of death metal heaviness. It is relentless, battering extremity in the most crushing form. But Order ov Riven Cathedrals also take notes from the likes of Fleshgod Apocalypse and thread orchestral grandeur and atmospheric ambience throughout. The likes of ‘Glorification ov the Divine Fallout’ and the stunning ‘From Neptune to Assyria’ show how death metal can be both devastatingly brutal and soaring with majestic melodies.

This record is a revelation of where extreme music can take you, both to the depths of deathly abysses and the heights of wondrous grandiosity. ‘Göbekli Tepe’ is an album of staggering musicianship, guttural vocals and a powerful sense of drama. Order ov Riven Cathedrals are a band of stunning potential, and each release continues to prove this.

https://orderovrivencathedrals.bandcamp.com/album/g-bekli-tepe

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe4mrVAUQFh5jvJSQHyLKvQ