Dirt Wizard - Vol. 1 EP (2017)

With a name like Dirt Wizard I was expecting the band's first EP to sound like a total fucking bucket of gritty fuzz, but to my surprise it wasn't like that at all - in fact "Vol. 1" constantly defies your expectations to blindside you with new and interesting tunes at every turn. It kicks off with "Sacred Flame" a deceptively smooth stoner-doom track whose clean vocal melody will give you goose bumps with the evil that it evokes. About 6 minutes in the organ starts up and you're taken to a dark cathedral as a choir of voices sings "holy holy holy" in a way that will make your hair stand on end. The song had me hooked and as it ended I thought I had a good idea of what I was in for next - I was wrong again. The second track "Summoning Sickness" maintains the instrumental tone of the first song, but this is more of a moody alternative rock song than the occult inspired doom showcased originally. Some light synth work and guitar strains also add to the song to give it a vaguely post-rock feel. So there's only two tracks listed on Bandcamp - that's the end, right? Nope! Dirt Wizard keeps the surprise train rolling and if you download Vol. 1 you get the bonus track "Arch-vile". It's labeled as "a demo of a demo" but presumably that's just to lower your expectations and keep you guessing because it certainly doesn't feel like an early demo. It starts out with some heavy metal urgency and is faster than either of the songs that came before it. Stylistically it mixes all of the elements from the previous songs as stoner-doom, alternative rock, post-rock wisps, and a touch of fresh new metal mingle to form one nefarious anthem before ending on a dramatic cinematic score. Dirt Wizard definitely keeps you on your toes and I mean that in a good way - always throwing something new at you to keep things interesting. Vol. 1 has some good tunes for sure. I recommend the experience! -Brandon

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Circadian Ritual - Befallen (2017)

After the sun sets, men and women wearing hooded robes gather in secret before an ancient, unholy altar. They've come to worship an evil god whose name has long been forgotten, but whose obscene will still works its way through this world and through the cult formed in its image. Eventually, with enough blood sacrifice and litany the god will manifest itself and eviscerate the members of its own cult as it is wont to do, but for now the soundtrack to this macabre scene is captured by "Befallen" the newest release from Circadian Ritual. Hailing from what is evidently the grimmest city in North America - Minneapolis, Minnesota - the band's second album features five blackened doom dirges exhumed from the catacombs. These songs layer slow atmospheric doom melancholy (complete with chanting and bell chimes from the temple) with crushing extreme metal to make an oppressively heavy sound. Titanic doom riffs meld with melodies that are played in a distinctively black metal style while synthesized touches add extra depth to make a miserable but mesmerizing soundscape. The bass grumbles with these far-reaching, earthshaking low tones that make up a deep, dreary foundation for the rest of the music to play on. There are a few different vocalists on this and I have to assume that they have lungs made of tar to produce such wretched shouts while calling out their dark invocations. With the spiritual motifs and amazing execution from the band, Befallen is a transcendent force of bleak and scathing doom metal - this is an album that needs to be heard! -Brandon

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Deltastealth - Metagun (2017)

So I kinda stumbled upon this one, just browsing shit on YouTube, and I saw that it had Stoner, Doom, Sludge in the title so I was like wow, not sure how I missed this one, because never seen it before. So two things stood out to me before I even started playing this. First the description read "So it IS possible to create an album from scratch in 6 hours when you can't even play guitar... lol", and then second there is the comment left by the uploader "it was made in 6 hours as a joke dude :p". So I thought to myself "LOL, oh boy, I'm not sure what I'm getting into here". I was actually pleasantly surprised. 

Deltastealth (whose name could've been easily made using the Stoner Rock Band Name Generator on www.cheezus.com/stoner), definitely fucking rule! Now while it does have the characteristics of something that may or may not have been churned out in 6 hours (mainly the meandering train of thought riffs, continuous droning, and the above comments made on the YouTube page), this is still a massive slab of thick ass Sludge Doom. Granted there are times in which the guitars sound like a muffled mess due to a lot of the drones, it is by no means sloppy in any respect. The guitar, bass, and drums are definitely a solid sludge/doom rock formation. The guitar tone on this release is gnarly as fuck. It's thick like molasses but has the hiss of a thousand bees. The drums are pretty tight as well. As far as the bass goes, I know it's there in the mix at times, but the guitar is so fucking detuned I'm not sure if really matters. There's loads of feedback on this fucker as well. 

So while this appears to be a joke, mocking the complexity (or lack of) within the genre, maybe the people behind this have a good point,but at the same time I'm not here to point fingers. I will say that I did enjoy this, while others may find this a challenge, and question its very existence. The people behind may have downplayed their sincerity, but I still think it's more than just a joke. Cheers! -Samir

The Asound - Commanding The Sword 7 Inch (2017)

Here's a fun fact for you - according to the Metal Archives, in their 8+ years as a band North Carolina natives The Asound have put out 4 completely separate releases named "The Asound", all of which have different artwork and track listings. Thankfully with their latest output the band chose a different name! "Commanding the Sword" is a very limited 7" (25 copies only! ... and an endless supply of digital downloads) with two tracks of stoner-doom goodness. The title track begins with some bright, stoner guitar picking before the whole band kicks in and floods the sound with doomy darkness. The drums here ring out loud and clear, almost creating their own melody through devilish riffs and rough wails. After a little over 2 minutes the guitar solo kicks in sounding vivid and colorful over the rest of the band's deathlike march. The second song (which you can't call a b-side - it's on the same side of the record!) is a cover of Loanin' by the band Floor. Starting with an agonized shout that echoes through your mind, this is a sludgey assault on the senses with a riff that grunts and whines. It pays great homage to the original with a noisy, rhythmic fervor. Put both of these tracks together and you're still at under 6 minutes! I'd call it short and sweet, but "sweet" doesn't describe the gnarly sound. Instead, let's say it's short and just the right kind of nasty that you'll want to hear. -Brandon
 

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Æsthetica - Sonorous Æon (2017)

An unnatural cloud cover forms in the skies, masking the sun's rays and casting the world into a somber gray as Norway's Æsthetica come forth into the world. With their first album "Sonorous Æon" the band not only doubles down on their love for the ash (apparently that's what "Æ" is called) but they also interweave powerful stoner-doom with mysterious post-rock to create a shadowy union. Listening to this album, I divided the songs into three different categories with two of each type. First is the headbangable psych-influenced stoner-doom banged out on the tracks "Haze" and "Worshipper" - heavy, catchy, and ready to fill your head with smoke. Next are the post-rock instrumentals "Todesfuge" and "Gates" which will have you drifting through enigmatic atmospheres with the occasional rough edge - you start to pick up on the Godspeed You! Black Emperor influence here, but this isn't where it ends. Lastly there are the blended tracks exemplified by "La Paz" and "Ekstasis" where each of the distinct styles come together to form a supernatural force of harrowing sound with riffs and aura that smoothly meld into one and breathe chilling sonic haze into your soul. Æsthetica's vocals have an otherworldly reverberation to them and the guitar is comfortable with both booming fuzz and eerie twang. The drummer does a great job choosing when to pull back and let the atmosphere settle around you before pounding out rhythms to drive the sound forward. This all comes together to make Sonorous Æon a spectral and satisfying package that is definitely worth exploring. -Brandon

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Monads - IVIIV (2017)

Six long years after their last release Monads emerge from their mausoleum in Belgium with their first official full-length album "IVIIV". Their latest work is composed of four colossal tracks of funeral death/doom that ache with tragic misery. This is played low and slow, grinding out abrasive, haunting dirges of doom that will erode your very being. With the occasional blasts of death metal and heart-wrenching tones and melodies that run through every song it really drags you into a world of agony. Tracks smoothly transition from gradual, crushing riffage to howling metal squalor to thoughtful gentle passages and all the way around again. Listening to this album is like watching the process of death in slow motion - from the last painful breaths, to the world going dark, a soul escaping this mortal coil, the funeral wrought with grief, the cackling flames of cremation, and agonizing reflection as those who are left behind stare at the ash of what once was. Although the album progresses and the songs move forward the same pain and emotions come and go in cycles with each new piece. Yet through the misery, there are a few notes of triumph that keep this album from descending into complete despair and help push through the stone wall of anguish. Overall, this is a beautifully melancholic, heavy album that I'll be listening to again and again. -Brandon
 

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Husmanskost - Ründpült (2017)

So for the last four months, I started doing overnights for the first time in my life, and I found that the only type of music I could really listen to that wouldn't make me sleepy was Grind, Death, and PV. If it had a blast, I was going to check it out. So I have been exploring more and more shit on YouTube, despite Super Dank being a blog that mainly focuses on Doom Metal and its subsequent sub genres. Along the way I discovered Husmanskost's first album "Fåricore", and I thought it fucking ruled so I put it on Facebook. Well here's their brand new one "Ründpült" and this shit just rips.

I mean these dudes are straight full speed Grindcore with no filler. There are definitely some crossover elements in here as well, where riffs seem to be thrashier than most, and I totally dig that. Then there's the dissonant atonal chord pairings that make this stand out for sure. I think the two biggest things I can take away from this recording is the face the production is so flawless. Guitars have a pulverizing crunch, but when paired with the rest of the band each instrument comes out in the mix crystal clear, which is great, and not always the case when listening to Grindcore. A lot of times i'll hear blasts, and the guitar parts will get lost in the mix from playing at blistering speeds, but on this release it's definitely not the case. It's not to say this thing isn't a noisy fucking beast, because it's definitely got some teeth, and it's both heavy and ferocious. The other takeaway is the samples. I have no fucking idea what anyone is saying, and they just seem so random. The only sample I knew for sure was the angry german kid, which I have provided for those who need a refresher on their meme history. 

So, going along with my recent review I did for Slund, let this be the first of many reviews that stray away from all the Doom stuff, and focuses on the fast and heavy stuff a little bit more. I've got a soft spot for the Sludge, but for the most part I think Brandon is definitely going to be your Doom man going forward, unless there's some gnarly Super Dank Stoner shit I share with everyone. Anyway, check this shit out for sure. Cheers! -Samir

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