Browsing Tag

Doom

NIGHT WHIP shot from the hip in their 16-minute psychedelic western eponymous debut single

Posted on 28 June 2024
NIGHT WHIP

Emerging from the arid expanse of Western Colorado, NIGHT WHIP cast aside all semblances of convention with their electrifyingly debauched eponymous debut single which spans 16 minutes and stretches the mind even further.

If you ever wanted to know what a synthesis of sludge, doom and psych rock would sound like filtered through Tarantino’s cinematic lens, hit play and sink into the tour de force of tonal alchemy, which is far more potent than any substance sampled in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

The track deftly balances dusky desert atmospheres with the rhythmic intensity reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age and the tight licks characteristic of Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster. As NIGHT WHIP tears through their inhibitions, the explosive doom metal breakdowns and relentless rhythmic drive culminate in a deeply authentic and unflinching score.

Formed in 2018 by Griff Chiono and Colin Keefe as a side project of the alt-punk band Bronco Country, NIGHT WHIP has rapidly become a staple in the local music scene. Their sound, described aptly as “heavy western,” captures the profound isolation of small desert towns with its distorted baritone guitars, relentless drums, trippy electronics, and hauntingly layered vocals.

Set to release on June 28th, 2024, under the band’s label, Bureaucracy Records, Night Whip is poised to cast a long shadow over the alternative music landscape. Discover your preferred way to listen via the band’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sound Animal are at their Dystopian best with a single that might cause car alarms to go off without notice on, ‘Outlaw of No’

Posted on 20 February 2022

After impressively shredding the walls down and bringing us something so brilliant and totally original away from the dull copycats with ‘Botulism Cafe‘, Sound Animal hungrily crunches into our surprised speakers with ‘Outlaw of No‘.

Sound Animal is a multi-talented experimental California-based band that somehow manages to fuse in brilliant sparks of enthralling psychedelic rock, electronic, doom and metal to lather our senses alive.

”The most common genres are noise metal, experimental, dark ambient, neo-psych rock, drone, electroacoustic and avant-garde neo-classical, but most songs can’t easily be placed squarely into any label. Life is strange that way.” ~ Sound Animal

Sending our ears into a new world that has been keeping us locked inside a cage for too long, we find the key to breaking away and running far from whatever has been holding us back from seeing life the way it should be. With a freedom-seeking element of courage and creativity absorbed inside each second – you will feel totally overpowered here – and might need a cold shower afterwards to fully let this mesmerizing single seep deeply into your blushing veins.

”Break out of the cage that holds you back, before it’s too late. Leap through its walls, land in the loamy rich dirt, roll, sing, and walk away, alone, head held high.” ~ Sound Animal

‘Outlaw of No‘ from the genre-defying doom-and-more California act Sound Animal, slices a Dystopian world right into our blood-soaked laps like a hundred ravenous claw-hungry Owls who has grown into majestic beasts who seem like they are from another planet entirely. This is a cutting edge piece of art that feels like is perfect for an important scene in a cult-like movie when everything hits the fan, as its cinematic value is absolutely priceless.

Cutting through your mind and waking you up to live your life, is exactly what is on offer here and this is a song for the brave souls who aren’t afraid to rattle the cages of this plastic-ridden world. Music is meant to be different, and this is one of the best experimental adventures you will surely dig deep into all year.

Hear this remarkable new single on Soundcloud and see more on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Rampaging Metal: California’s Sound Animal brings the scorching heat with ‘Botulism Cafe’

Posted on 9 November 2021

Shredding the walls down one by one with a totally intoxicating ambiance that shall heighten all your inner senses out of any self-enforced slumber, Sound Animal ravages our previously-innocent ears with his latest track ‘Botulism Cafe‘.

Sound Animal is a California-based and self-described experimental noise/drone/desert/doom Instrumental metal solo artist.

”Botulism Cafe is Noise Metal. Dirty, farty grit to have fun kicking out walls with. Ballsy dissonance from an apartment bedroom.” ~ Sound Animal

There is a fiery explosion of blaring sounds from a truly possessed artist who is in the prime of his career – with the gusting winds of creativity roaring down on him – like a hungry Lion who needs a snack right now as his belly rumbles furiously. The ear-piercing energy is quite overwhelming at times, with a booming speaker-breaking force that is unlike anything heard so far in 2021.

‘Botulism Cafe‘ from the experimental dark doom California-based solo artist Sound Animal, is an almost eight minute experience that shall have your over-stimulated mind feeling rather enraptured with this whole experience. This is loud, brash and in your face, with no let ups for a breath at all. Exactly the way it was intended after all.

Hear this wild new track on Soundcloud and see more via the IG music page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Kilter throw us deep with ”Fall in Place”

Posted on 17 June 2020

With different influences in the indie rock and psychedelia world, Kilter is a music project based in Louisiana in the USA. It features an ever-changing group of band members that adds a nice twist to the sound. It must be tough to do this and this could be a new style in the music world. Music solves all problems and with musicians needing to work as soon as possible I like this direction.

The sound is dark and deep with a doom feel. ”Fall in Place” is a journey about life and wanting things to fall into place while knowing that the timing might be off. Kilter have a different style and is like nothing I have ever heard before ever. I do feel in a strange mood while listening to this song and I’m sure that is the point. You end up listening so closely to each word.

After being in heavy metal band Anticult, Matt from Kilter decided to change direction and this is the output. I’m sure with so much more experience with this new genre the sound will develop and only grow stronger. I’m excited for the next batch of songs and this could be a name to watch.

Stream this new song right here on Spotify.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Weddings – Hidden Message: Psych Rock Just Got a Little Doomier

Posted on 8 October 2019
https://weddingstherockband.bandcamp.com/

Weddings’ latest single “Hidden Message” started off as a gloriously sludgy number which instrumentally carried reminiscences to the likes of Courtney Barnett but when the vocals kick in any fans of Alice in Chains should have a jaw to the floor moment.

The evolution in sound may be seamless, but that doesn’t prepare you for the cold drop in tonality as melodiously psychedelic accordance is stripped away and you’re left with harsh doom-laden Rock.

The Vienna-based trio released their single on July 19th, and they have plenty more material in the pipeline to leave us enamoured. You can already count me amongst the excited about the next installation of their alchemical Grunge contortionism.

You can stream and download Weddings’ single Hidden Message for yourselves by heading over to Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Author & Punisher – Live Review

Posted on 3 June 2018

Author & Punisher, Rebellion Bar, Manchester, May 30th, 2018.

I’d heard the Spotify tracks, I’d seen the YouTube video’s, but nothing, absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the sharply controlled chaos which Author & Punisher lay down in his set in Rebellion Bar in Manchester. The San Diego, California based artist will make you reshape your view of one-man Doom bands with his automated robotics and mechanical devices. Usually, when I see watch a performing artist, I will usually draw comparisons to other artists, but it’s safe to say that no artist is in the same league or even the same dimension of Author & Punisher. That overwhelming vibrating reverberation of when a vintage engine passes you in the street may come close. It’s filthy, it’s iconic and witnessing it live may have been the finest sensation of auralism I will ever be treated to.

I will never even begin to understand the complexity and the ingenuity which Tristan Shone; the fabulous brain behind the unfathomable chemistry which is manipulated through his gloriously robotic machines. Each of his mechanical splendours pump out a distinct throbbing, thrashing, pounding, primal noise that is perfectly pitched in tonality to exude the perfect amount of genius and industrial engineering creativity.

I can honestly say I’ve never stood to witness a performing artist more attuned to his sound. The level of passion as he went about his blinding set was as palpable as the overwhelming reverb gave the venues monitors a run for their money. Every cell in my body stood to attention to the kicks and distortion of his mechanically organic sound which bled white noise aggression through urgent progression.

Author & Punisher goes beyond your average Ableton monkey with their samples, loops and synthesisers with his Industrial (by the ultimate definition of the word) innovative machines to create some of the most blissfully discordant rhythms and processions of distorted energy that you could possibly ever anticipate hearing. Whilst his set up was fairly minimal during his set at Rebellion It didn’t fail to astound the crowd that stood in eagle eyed admiration for the pure passionate talent he was pouring into every manipulation of sound.

You can check out Author & Punisher’s filthily aggressive mechanical Industrial Doom tracks on Spotify, for more information & to find out where to catch him on the future legs of his tour head on over to his official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast
Photo Credit to Tim Lee