LP Review: "Drowners Wives" by Monte Luna

Drowners Wives

Apologies that this week there's only going to be one review in the round up, hence it's not called a round up.

We're considering the sophomore LP of a psychedelic sludge duo from Austin, TX.

Seriously, isn't Austin just the best, if you're only considering music and what you see on TV?

This is my first rodeo with the band and what I love about them is how easy it is to get lost in their sounds.

Music is an art form of pure escapism for me. It's better than storytelling, paintings, poems, etc because of how much it allows me to fall into it.

Monte Luna's record is definitely a fuzzed out sludge record. Many times I'll consider usages for albums and this one has place.

It's Sunday afternoon, hockey practice is over, your idiot friends are talking about football on Facebook. It's time for a beer and a bit of anger.

You spin this record and crack open a Double IPA. Your afternoon will swirl away.

Rating B Bandcamp Facebook

LP Review: "Failure To Thrive" by Cazador

Failure To Thrive

After forming in 2015, Bostonian Sludge Doom Gloom Metal trio, Cazador, have released a single, and EP, and now they're preparing their full length debut.

Even though it's been a big topic, the season is over now and we're moving on.

On their EP, they have a song called Seppuku.

That alone is enough to get me to check out your newest and every subsequent record. Especially if you end up with a track called Fallen Diamyo....

Their latest release, Failure To Thrive is one of those releases that makes the most sense in context.

Were it available as such, this would be a perfect record to buy on vinyl because it's best heard front to back. In a world where many bands don't make albums anymore, this is a nice change of pace.

But it's not as much of an album as it is one giant song. The cover captures its essence ever so well. Imagine being bent over on a park bench because you just can't fight the injustice in the world anymore.

Failure To Thrive would be your soundtrack.

It's gloomy, thick, and angry. Cazador's debut LP doesn't fit neatly into any metal subgenre...which is how those terms came to exist anyway. Turn it on and prepare to take a ride.

RELEASE 7/12/19 BANDCAMP FACEBOOK

EP Review: "Upside of Sick" by Musket Hawk

Upside of Sick

A new album from Unholy Anarchy Records.

My whole life I've paid far too much attention to record labels probably, but it's paying off in this modern era because of the specialization of the modern music scene.

Here's another kind of music that honestly really doesn't make a whole lot of sense when you hear it.

Musket Hawk is a Sludge/Grindcore band.

The idea of two polar opposites existing in the same space is really cool right? Think of all the bands that have written songs with opposite titles.

Well, Upside of Sick is certainly a Black Diamond in the smooth rough.

The best thing that can be said about this album that it is precisely as advertised, if not all the time. There are times when it's straight grind and others when it's straight sludge, but when those two concepts start to get closer to the middle is when things really start to cook.

The grooves on this disc are only surpassed by the wholly unfettered slop thrash'n'death licks. Brutal and sloppy. Grooving and atonal. Musket Hawk is inescapable.

RELEASE 3/29/19 PREORDER FACEBOOK

LP Review: "Science Fiction" by Radiant Knife

Science Fiction

Will you just look at that beauty cover right there? Seriously, you can take a minute to enjoy that.

That is the absolutely the most perfect cover for a sludge/doom/stoner metal band. That's the illustration in my head for what this kind of music is.

It's long, slow but when it gets to the point, if it ever does, enlightenment is only a moment or two away...and by moment, we mean three more verses and two more choruses of doom metal away...

The music, like the picture, is a bit strange. The artwork and the musicwork come to loggerheads at times. If you're looking for long chords, long songs, and places to lose your identity but find your purpose, Radiant Knife has you.

If you're looking zero surprises and everything being the same, Radiant Knife might just disappoint you a little. It would appear that whatever we're looking for.... Radiant Knife has found it. Thankfully they've laid down the bread crumbs to lead us to it as well.

Seek Nirvana, listen to Science Fiction.

8/8/18 BANDCAMP FACEBOOK

LP Review: "Astrological Passages" by Weed Demon

Astrological Passages

Getting things clear right off of the bat, I'm not certain if that thing in the middle is the artwork or if the whole thing is the artwork.

Anyway today we're looking at the release from Ohio's, Weed Demon.

If the context clues didn't knock you over, they're kind of a stoner metal band.

To that end, their logo is in the shape of a pot leaf...or a Maple Leaf....

Can you smoke maple leaves?

True to form, they've created a four track album that's prefect for ingesting your favorite recreational substance and to just irrelevant. They remind me a little bit of Arizona's Twingiant, but without their brevity.

The four tracks make up an entire album, so be on the lookout for thick slow songs that move only slightly.

Relase: 7/27/18 Stoner Metal Facebook Bandcamp

Video: "The Chosen" by Black Royal

In case it's escaped your notice, this winter's time is nearly done. There is less than a single month from spring. In the not too distant future, we'll all be complaining that it's too damned hot and we miss the winter.

Keeping in mind, this blogger will be saying that in March.

During the time away from the snow, living vicariously through metal is paramount. So, check out this video set in a snowy tundra featuring leather, sheep, witches, blood, and wolves.

Ask Black Royal about the symbolism on Facebook and their debut album can be preordered on Bandcamp.

LP Review: "META" by YLVA

META

It came to my attention recently that my record library and listening to those glorious slabs spinning is my mental floss.

Most days of my life, there is a song in my ear at all times.

The difference is that when it's at work, in the car, or even at a concert, it's a different experience than being at home and watching the rotations of vinyl.

Perhaps it's because this is when I'm listening to full albums front to back and track by track.

There's something a bit magical doing that, especially when it's by masters of the format like Led Zeppelin, Metallica, etc. Sadly, front to back albums isn't as much of a thing as it once was.

Certainly there is a time and a place for everything, but there is something that's wonderful about sitting in a room without a TV connection and listening to music.

LP Review: "The Fourth Seal" by Pale Horseman

The Fourth Seal

Recently, I took a trip to Minnesota. Going up to the Twin Cities from St. Louis, MO can take a good long time.

That's actually a trip my family has made a number of times. By car, it's ten hours, plane, 3 hours, and by train, it's about 16 hours.

The last one was my favorite mode of travel. It takes longer sure, but the dining car, the observation car, and beer on had just made it wonderful.

It's a hard trip and those long rides can take a lot out of you.

It's important to have something that can take that pain away and just get you moving over the next hump.

Enter The Pale Horseman.

LP Review: "Blood Feud" by Twingiant

Blood Feud

Being a fan of a band is a lot like being their parent.

We watch the bands grow up. Look at bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, etc... Those bands' first records are nothing at all like what they became in the future.

There's growth and change in every band, sorry AC/DC.

It can be rare, especially in this day and age, to catch on with a band on their debut album. This is the reason why debut records are mentioned so many times when they're reviewed by me.

It's important to know the growth potential in my opinion. Twingiant, they ended up in my universe when they were doing press for their second album, Devil Down. 

LP Review: "Drude" by Drude

Drude

Living in St. Louis, we grow up under the shadow of Route 66. Of course, when I came of age, the interstate highway system was well into effect and the routes had gone the way of the dodo.

That doesn't stop all of the Route 66 this and Route 66 that. Along the Historic Route 66, those signs are everywhere. They've become so ubiquitous for me, that they're no longer on my radar.

Recently, the History Museum (Free to enter) in Forest Park (50% larger than Central Park) had an exhibit on the old Route 66.

It actually was a little bit depressing because the Route System was much better for travelling for someone like me. Flying is terrible and road trips are the way to go.

But, when driving I-55 to go to Chicago or I-70 to get to Indianapolis, all we see large signs, rest areas, and gas stations with Fast Food restaurants attached. There's no local color. We are arriving to our destination too quickly.

LP Review: "II" by Endless Floods

II

Having recently seen Steve Vai in concert, at the time of this writing anyway, I'm reminded that vocals do not make the song.

Growing up when I did, being in bands when I was, taught me that singers can often times be temperamental, cheap, and unreliable.

The singer in my longest band never bought any equipment save a guitar practice amp and a computer microphone that was plugged into said practice amp.

Many times during practice, said singer plugged his computer microphone into my amp, effectively taking away over half of my stack so he could be heard.

But, my experiences aside, it's important to remember that music is music with lots of vocals, with little vocals, or without any vocals at all. Consider the symphony, how many times have you heard someone complain about the lack of vocals in Beethoven's Fifth?