Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Shrooms Circle - S/T (2018)


Somewhere deep in a rank, underground cavern is a grand cathedral - beautifully architected and seemingly out of place in this foul, forgotten cave. Constructed in ages long past, it has been a site of secret worship for centuries. Here, a dedicated group of devotees perform black masses, typically under the influence of the psychedelic mushrooms found growing on the walls and floor of the cavern. The cult bears the name "Shrooms Circle" and they have committed the recordings of their unholy service to tape (courtesy of Golden Dawn Recordings) in hopes that all might revel in the profane glory that was once hidden from the world. So what wicked sounds have been unearthed? Otherworldly doom metal with psychedelic stylings, backed by an ancient, moaning organ and fronted by wailing vocals that echo through the chamber and into your mind. It starts out massive and then somehow grows even bigger until it becomes all you can fathom and completely swallows you. The rhythm section creates an impenetrable wall of warbling, supernatural sounds while the guitar produces distorted fuzz tendrils that snake off wildly in a dozen different directions before being yanked back with a satisfying crunch. It's extra thick with plenty of trippy tones - more than enough to make you dizzy. There are moments on here where you feel as though you're being cracked open and you seep out of your own body as a black ooze in order to fill a demon lord's goblet. It elicits some Electric Wizard vibes, but ripples off in ways that may seem contradictory at first - the organ puts it in a more formal setting and the way these guys play feels more unhinged - but the results are incredible. Two of the tracks have been labeled as demos, which is probably for the best because the full-fledged songs would have been enough to put listeners into a hypnotic trance, ready to offer themselves as blood sacrifices upon the altar! Shrooms Circle is heavy, dangerous, evocative, and on these recordings you can truly hear the invocation of evil - sounds that will corrupt souls and drive people mad with lust for the darkness. You've been warned! -Brandon

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