Tag Archives: Sludge

Live Review: DESERTFEST LONDON, UK 2018 – Day 1 [Photo Gallery]

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Zeke @ Koko. DesertFest London 2018

The UKs very own version of Roadburn took over London over the bank holiday weekend of 4th May – 6th May. The annual 3-day DesertFest London festival hosted over 70 bands including some of the biggest names in the stoner rock scene, at the most iconic venues in Londons Camden town – from the Roundhouse to Koko, The Underworld, The Black Heart and The Dev(onshire Arms). Camden was a hive for worshipers of the scene to congregate for the 7th edition of this fundamental tour, and with headliners that included Graveyard, Napalm Death, High On Fire, Hawkwind and Monster Magnet, this year has been it’s biggest and most diverse yet!

FRIDAY 4TH

Today saw the festival at it’s busiest for its opening day, with 26 artists across 5 stages, not to mention the thousands of tourists bustling about Camden town – famous for its vast array of boutique and quirky independent shops, amazing street food, and markets, weird and wonderful street performers and musicians, as well as being the absolute hot-spot for all kinds of sub-cultures to thrive. With the distinct smell of weed fresh in the air on a blisteringly hot day in the capital, I was ready for the beginning of what would be an epic weekend of (natural) highs from the outstanding line-up at DesertFest London 2018. (Full gallery follows article). Continue reading →

DESERTFEST LONDON Artist Preview – Full Line-Up Included!

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The UK’s premier independent festival Desertfest London returns over the May bank holiday (May 4th-6th) with what can only be described, as unquestionably it’s most biggest and broadest line-up yet!

Now in its 7th year, the festivities will take place across multiple venues in London’s Camden Town including the famous Underworld and breathtaking Roundhouse. With over 70 acts announced across the whole metal spectrum, together with the biggest names in sludge, doom and psych!

Not only that, as par tradition Desertfest will be holding their annual pre-festival party at The Black Heart on May 3rd featuring a full headline set by North Carolina’s A.S.G and London’s own Flash House as support! (Pre-festival tickets here)

Read below for full headliners and bands that are not to be missed! (Full weekend line-up follows article. Weekend and day tickets available here). Continue reading →

Album Review: DISASTROID – ‘Screen’ [Album Stream]

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Recently this band came onto my radar after having their latest, September 2017 CD release essentially dropped into my lap by my editor here at Metal Nexus. Upon first listen, I was pleasantly surprised by their throwback, sludgey, stoner sound often reminiscent of Melvins and early Soundgarden. I’ve since given the album several more listens and each time discover more and more interesting nuances to enjoy. What stands out above all else with Disastroid’s ‘Screen’ is vibe. From front to back, this album emanates a heavy and relenting, chilled out, stoner vibe, while at times delving into well-placed moments of intense psychedelia. Like a VW bus hotboxed in a thick cloud of bong smoke, this record will envelope and intoxicate you as you succumb to its dark, dank, euphoric moods. Continue reading →

State Of The Art: Georgia’s GUILLOTINE [Album Stream]

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*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured state*

This month’s State is Georgia!

Atlanta-based Guillotine offers bass-heavy, blackened death/doom metal with heavy doses of groove. Weaved seamlessly into the band’s sound are a unique blend of musical influences such as old school American death metal, Scandinavian black metal, and Southern sludge. Their songs often bounce between slow/doomy evilness to mid-tempo aggression. While typically never delving into super high-velocity thrashing speeds or blast beats, alternately their use of grooving riffs and double-bass rhythms gives Guillotine a signature sound of their own that is equally dark and punishing. Continue reading →

State Of The Art: TORO [EP Stream + Official Video]

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*This is a part of our State of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured state.*

This month’s state is Georgia!

Georgia is a state that is rich with music history, not specifically metal but music in general. Some big names that changed music emerged from the Peach State like Ray Charles, R.E.M., The Allman Brothers, Mastodon, and various others. A band that I think will become just as iconic as the bands that came prior to them is Atlanta, Georgia’s Toro. The band is still relatively new as they formed in 2015. The band formed with Zackery M. Hembree – vocals, Adam Mitchell – guitars and vocals, Pablo Davila – guitars, Bruno Segovia – bass and Jason Belisha – drums. They have been getting their name out their in the local scene and playing quite a bit within the city of Atlanta. They have opened for some killer metal bands like Mothership, The Obsessed, Lazer/Wulf, and Double Ferrari. 

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State Of The Art: Vermont’s LIGHTCRUSHER [Album Stream]

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Photo Credit: Christian Buck

 

*This is a part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured state.*

This month’s state is Vermont!

 

Combining elements of doom, death, sludge and black metal the Montpelier, Vermont based band Lightcrusher was formed in 2010. You could say that their lyrical themes tend to be more leaning towards the darker side of things with themes like nature, misanthropy, loss, and isolation. The band is comprised of 5 members including members and ex-members of bands like Chalice, Lord Gallows, The Demon Bell,  Sunder, Cruciferion, Limbwalker and others. Some of the members were actually in these bands together, so there was already a chemistry and bond created there that you can hear on the bands material. The members include M. Schrift on vocals, A. Sørensen on guitar and vocals, K. Emmons also on guitar, J. Elwert behind the drum kit and L. Gallows on the bass. The quintet released their first material in the form of a demo in September of 2015. Simply titled ‘Lightcrusher Demo’. The recording included five tracks. Fast forward to December 2016 and the band has now released a brand new EP titled ‘Forests of Unresolve’ which includes 5 blistering tracks of death doom and the bands signature duel vocal style. 

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Review: KING WITCH – ‘Under The Mountain’ [Album Stream]

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Photo by Alan Swan Photography

 

Edinburgh based four piece band King Witch make a triumphant debut with ‘Under the Mountain’ which is released via Listenable Records! With this release we get 9 tracks of genre bending, kick ass HEAVY METAL! ‘Under The Mountain’ was recorded and produced by guitarist Jamie Gilchrist at their underground studio in their home city of Edinburgh, mixed and mastered by Tom Dring at Vagrant Recordings (Dragged Into Sunlight, Acolyte) in Southport and comes swathed in artwork created by vocalist Laura Donnelly. The record serves as King Witch’s follow-up to their debut EP, ‘Shoulders Of Giants’, and boasts nine riff-laden tracks offset by the powerful yet bewitching vocals of Donnelly. Influenced by everything from Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin to Mastodon and High On Fire, ‘Under The Mountain’ is as melodic as it is monolithic, taking its listener on a journey from soulful doom to full-tilt metal mayhem. Continue reading →

MONOLORD To Support BLACK LABEL SOCIETY On EU/UK Tour! [Tour Dates]

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Gothenburg Doomsters Monolord have had quite the year in 2017 with their recently released third album ‘Rust’ receiving universal praise in reviews, and landing atop on multiple Album of The Year lists – including the #1 Album of 2017 on the Doom Charts. They have built up a rabid international fanbase in short order since their 2014 debut ‘Empress Rising’. Truly exemplifying why some refer to them as the Nirvana of doom. Monolord are a rare breed, encompassing and transcending the genre with an unstoppable force both on record and on stage. Now, we are to witness the trio take to the stage as special guests supporting famed Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society in March and April. See for yourself why critics are raving about this band. Full tour dates below.

“Universally beloved… Swedish doom royalty.” – Noisey

“The Platonic Form of doom…perfection… faultless.” — Echoes & Dust Continue reading →

Review: ATALA – ‘Labyrinth of Ashmedai’ [Official Videos]

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Photo by Matt Hall

After honing their chops in other touring bands, the members of ATALA came together in 2013 when frontman Kyle Stratton, who owns two tattoo shops in their hometown, met up with drummer Jeff Tedtaotao, the brother of one of his shop’s tattoo artists. After joining up with their first bassist, the band quickly linked up with producer Scott Reeder (Kyuss, The Obsessed), and released their self-titled first full-length in 2014. In 2016, the band followed up with the release of their well-received sophomore album, ‘Shaman’s Path of the Serpent’, this time with current producer Billy Anderson (Sleep, Melvins, Mastodon) at the helm. After the departure of their previous bassist, current bassist and fellow tattoo artist Dave Horn joined the ranks. Now signed to Salt of the Earth Records, ATALA seeks to reach new heights and expand their horizons with the 2018 release of ‘Labyrinth of Ashmedai’, their most charging and conceptualized offering yet. ATALA have truly found their path, and their groove, with ‘Labyrinth of Ashmedai’. We recently conducted an interview with the band as well which you can read here. Continue reading →

State Of The Art: Nebraska’s BONGHAMMER [Live Video Footage]

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*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured State*
This month’s State is Nebraska!

 

Coming straight out of Omaha, Nebraska we have doomsters BongHammer. Unfortunately they do not appear to have any music available for streaming or download, however there is an abundance of killer live performances available via YouTube and Facebook. The band is a three piece made up of Ryne Sutej on guitar and vocals,  Amanda DeFord who is also a member of the band Trxlleydxdgers slaying the drums and vocals and the newest member of the band is Clayton Pace on bass who replaced former bassist Will who left the band because he relocated to Colorado. In addition to BongHammer Ryne and Clayton are also in the riff worshipping band Super Moon.  Continue reading →