Serpents Eve - MMXVII (2017)

Serpents Eve from Northern Ireland are rising from the abyss to swing the mighty hammer of doom and lay waste to all who stand before them with their second release "MMXVII". It features four tracks of epic doom instrumentals inspired by the likes of Solitude Aeturnus and Candlemass and even without vocals it conjures a dark and powerful grandeur. Like a cartload of lead this is heavy as fuck with colossal rhythms that pull you into the band's menacing dominion. In lieu of a singer the guitar steps in and cries out with majestic melodies of power and sorrow. MMXVII clocks in at just under 20 minutes, but it feels a lot bigger than that. It's got the weight of a leviathan rising up out of the ocean and wreaking havoc upon a coastal city. I can practically hear it now - the guitar like a siren wailing out warnings of incoming danger, people crying out for their families, but you can tell from the anguished tone that it's too late. With dramatic pauses and all the beast is tearing through buildings creating mountains of mangled steel and rebar as countless souls perish beneath it. It's a terrible tragedy that I just made up, but it would be a REAL tragedy if you didn't check this out! -Brandon
 

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Weird Tales - Shiny Void EP (2017)

They've returned once more, drawing upon the strange and obscure to create something bleak - Weird Tales is back with their second EP "Shiny Void" and it delivers three tracks of desolate doom metal that might be even better than their last set. The band's first EP came out earlier this year and it hung low with a gloomy, detached apathy but on this one they've managed to muster up just a touch of energy in order to drive their dreary sound further than before. These songs are slow, lonesome trips through the abyss with a faint psychedelic vapor that passes straight through you and leaves you feeling hollow. Between the phaser effects and the somber echo of the vocals it's as though you're traveling through an empty world, resigned to your hopelessness. Then every once in a while the weight of the void becomes too much as something within you cracks - the song pace and the psychedelics pick up and it's like a piece of your mind crawls out of your head and manifests in a shape beyond your comprehension. But as soon as you understand what you're seeing it disappears and the solitude feels fresh again. Wandering through these wastelands is a melancholic experience, but these tunes are good enough to keep you coming back. It's great hearing more from these guys; I'm looking forward to the next one! -Brandon
 

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The Dead-End Alley Band - Storms (2017)

So this album has been out for a few months now but with a North American CD release just days away and vinyl coming out of Europe next month this feels like a gift that keeps on giving! Storms is the third studio album from Peruvian mystics The Dead-End Alley Band and it summons doomy psychedelic rock straight to your speakers in order to swamp your ears with heavy hazy tunes and fill your head with sticky smoke. The first track "Red Woman" stands as the gatekeeper swirling with doom and darkness and leaves you with the sensation that a phantom is watching you as it weaves its way through an unnatural fog. But as you move deeper into the album each track gets warmer and more wild as the eerie tone starts to dissipate and the band divulges into fuzzy jams. I can't decide what I love more - the haunting organ that will both chill your soul and evoke the acid-inspired spirit of the late 60s or the buzzing guitar which is equally vintage with constant uncontrollable licks and leads bursting all over the place. Doesn't matter in the end though - everything comes together to make a single miasma brimming with murky rock 'n' roll. Breathe it in deep, recommended for sure! -Brandon
 

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Oakbreaker - S/T (2017)

Groovy southern-style sludge coming out of Germany - Oakbreaker is throwing down some heavy shit whether you're on board or not! On the cover of their self-titled debut is a man wielding an axe in the dark near a cracked and broken tree. This captures the essential elements of what you're going to hear - powerful rhythmic chopping that will leave you wading through a flurry of splintered debris. But down underneath the sludge-heavy axe swings are some down-home bluesy foundations that keep twisting their way through the tunes. Scatter in some hardcore touches to give it a mean edge and just drop of doom that bubbles up in spots and you've got one nasty batch of songs ready to take you down. Even though the band is a whole continent away, Oakbreaker has a certain NOLA charm and would fit right in with the scene. It all rolls up into a good package and listening to it makes my neck sore imagining how hard you could bang your head - this one's worth a listen! -Brandon

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Angus Black - S/T (2017)

Fuzzed up and stalking the streets of Finland is Angus Black - a trio of devilish rogues playing stoner doom with psychedelic and occult touches. Earlier this year they introduced themselves to the world with their first release, a live EP titled "Live from the cellar". Now they've committed their tunes to a full-length self-titled studio album and it's ready to cast a shadow on your mind and fill your head with gloom. Angus Black have a definite Uncle Acid feel - the vocals, guitar tone, and general occult vibe all contribute to that - but instead of delving into 70s rock influences the band has doubled down on the stoner doom sound. It's got a long streak of melancholy running through it but the songs are still played with a kind of upbeat swagger so it creates a heavy, downtrodden rock 'n' roll that still feels driven. But for me, the track that stands out the most here is one of the slowest and most dejected: "I'm Yours". It's a 12 minute tale of lament and submission that manages to express this detached passion like a lost soul was flayed and laid bare before your eyes. Angus Black has the good stuff so make sure you're listening! -Brandon

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Dumblegore - Misanthropic Ritual (2017)

There is a dungeon somewhere in the city of Vitória da Conquista, Brazil where the duo known as Dumblegore lurks. From within their murky lair they conjure sounds both dark and dense and they've recently compiled their wicked tunes into an album titled "Misanthropic Ritual". This is thick, musky doom featuring vague hints of gothic rock and fronted by vocals with a black metal rasp - when it all comes together it creates an atmosphere like a disfigured Transylvanian horror. There are plenty of heavy riffs stomping through the decrepit stone corridors of Dumblegore's domain but the synth is just as much of a powerhouse here, taking on a ton of different roles. Whether it's bellowing like a massive blasting organ, providing gentle, eerie touches, or carrying a haunting melody meant to make your hair stand on end the synth manages to stand out as soon as it creeps into the picture. Even with all the terrifying tones and ghastly atmosphere, Misanthropic Ritual is still catchy at points with songs like "There's Nothing Left To Feel" and "Mr. Correct (Hate Everyone)". Mix in a couple of covers from GG Allin and Weedeater just for fun and this becomes a trip to the crypt you don't want to miss! -Brandon

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Wiccans - Bad Habit (2017)

Holy FUCK do I love this. With a pentagram etched into the dirt Wiccans rise out of the city of Detroit with their new album "Bad Habit" - 8 tracks of earthy, occult stoner doom that will ensnare your soul and put you under a powerful spell. The guys and gals in Wiccans have definitely captured some kind of magic and whether it's a "bad habit" or not, it's all I want to hear right now. At its base Bat Habit has got some highly addictive stoner doom riffs that get stuck in your head almost immediately and a matching rhythm that practically forces you to move to its dreary dirge. But then it's loaded up with all kinds of extra instrumentation like chimes, hand drums, and tons of flute to give the album a natural feel. The band is fronted by dual female vocalists who sing simultaneously with tales magic, witches, demons, and ancient ceremonies in a way that evokes a sense of ritual. The first track "Street Weed" starts with a didgeridoo before the dual lead vocals start to chant "O god with the horns come back!" to the beat of a drum and tambourine. Then it all falls into this trippy stoner doom riff that feels wicked and warm all at once with more chanted lyrics that run across the song before closing on wild effects and a flute solo. I'm already in love and that was just the opening! The riffs and pagan vocals just continue from there drawing you deeper all the time. There's a ton of occult stoner sounds filling these tracks, but you'll get glimpses into other worlds as well with some eastern-inspired hippie twang on "Magic Red Drops" and AC/DC-esque rock on "Lone Witch". As a bonus, you'll also be treated to a few "Little Gnome Facts" that have been scattered throughout the album, where a weird computer will teach you all the things you didn't know that you wanted to learn about gnomes! Not only is the music amazing, but this shit is educational too! Bad Habit is flat out awesome. It gives me a similar vibe to Blood Ceremony's self-titled release, with the riffs, female vocals, flute, the occult themes, and the way the music just grips me and won't let go. I can't recommend this one enough, so do yourself a favor and listen to it already! -Brandon

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