#forming the void

[explorermoo]

1h sketch for Scream! I do love painting starscapes x3 You can get sketches like this by becoming a member of my Ko-Fi! Check it out HERE

Posted using PostyBirb

[doomedandstoned]

13 Unusual Records That Rocked n’ Wrecked 2020

~By Billy Goate~

Photograph by Randy J Byrd

With all of the uncertainty and unrest we experienced in 2020, it was hard to imagine what kind of a musical year it would be last January. As it turned out, the music won out, with disquieted souls unleashing a bevy of sound and fury!

Following last week's parade of top albums from the Doomed & Stoned team, it's the editor's turn. I submit for your consideration 13 records that had me coming back again and again.

Nothing - The Great Dismal

The depressive rock vibes of Nothing captured so much of the spirit of 2020 -- wistful, jaded and, well, dismal -- with the sentiment, This will never end.. By October, we were really feeling it, too. Then along came NOTHING (originally a side project of Agalloch members Jason William Walton and Don Anderson) with what I regard as their finest longplay to date, spitting out along with it a plethora of visceral music videos that made The Great Dismal hard to ignore. Timely medicine for my jaded, weary soul. No surprise then that I listened to this album constantly throughout the year.

Isn't it strange Watching people Try and outrun the rain

5 R V L N 5 - The Black Mark

Chuck Clybourne (ex-Faces of the Bog) delivers one of the most authentic and gripping biographical albums of recent memory. I was in the Chicago studio on the final day of its recording and recall how dark and angry it seemed, a doomier kind of industrial metal. The Black Mark includes contributions from Chicago Doomed & Stoned Fest organizer Lara Noel. As I remarked on "Flesh" last January: "The song builds and builds in intensity, generating a wall of sound and fury contrasted with dreamlike vox and emotive synth licks that made me an instant fan of 5 R V L N 5. I suspect the effect will be similar for you."

Crimson Caravan - Big Big Bang

Screeeeeech! Stop the presses! Here's an unbelievable find! Didn't pick up on these Russian stoner-doomers until the New Year's dawn (to be fair, it was released on December 29th), but everytime I listen to Big Big Bang I'm awed at just how goddamn heavy it is. An outstanding specimen of the genre, with songs like "Heap of Junk" of an Electric Wizard, Monolord, or Dopelord aura.

Elder Druid - Golgotha

Those champions of winter, Elder Druid, brought us a compelling sophomore offering in Golgotha, which we were among the earliest to review on January 9th, at which time I gushed: "Every yard as epic as it’s title, its power and majesty bleeds through every low-fuzzed corpuscle and sinew." Almost one year to the day and I must say time was kind to this prodigious paragon.

Enslaved - Utgard

A worthy entry into a very crowded field of contenders, Utgard shows us the more experimental side of Enslaved -- roaring black metal meets seventies prog rock (yep, you read that right). Though their fifteenth (!) LP received some mixed reviews, it's definitely worth hearing because, you know, it's mother effen Enslaved! Plus it draws heavily on Norse mythology, which is always cool. As expected, the album was preceded and followed by a number of music videos that brought us the band in all its coldness, melancholy, and savagery

Ethyl Ether - Neon Chrome Jesus

It was a big year for the South African music scene, led by Cape Town's Ethyl Ether, who released their third album on the newly founded local label Mongrel Records. Keep an eye on this scene, and especially this band, in the year ahead. Psychedelic texture don an eighties rock sound for a very chill vibe, indeed.

Forming The Void - Omens

What can one say about this rapidly rising voice in metal, already a widely recognized voice in doom? The expansive soundscapes, serpentine vocals, and deluge of big low-end. Omens is another out-of-the-ballpark homerun for Ripple and a fitting fourth full-length for the band. We reviewed it in May, at which time I remarked: "It’s earthy moving rhythm is joined by the prophetic utterance of vocals that soar vastly overhead, surveying the horizon like a bird of prey. It’s a vibe that Slomatics fans will be used to, though arguably Forming The Void makes it much groovier. After all, you can’t avoid the influence of the blues in a place like Louisiana.."

Frayle - 1692

The Ohio atmospheric doomers outdid themselves in 2020 by taking us back to another year: 1692. It was on March 1st that the Salem Witch Trials began in Salem Village of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Witnessing their performance at Chicago Doomed & Stoned Show gave me a new appreciation for the thoughtful execution of every note, and the arch that links them all together. They played "Dead Inside", and it was all chills for me. You would be hard pressed to listen to a number like "Burn" and walk away with anything short of adoration.

Greg Puciato - Fuck Content

If you were missing the Dillinger Escape Plan in 2020, their enigmatic singer came back just in time with new solo material, published under the banner of Federal Prisoner. And while there's a lot to love about the album Child Soldier: Creator God, it's the live album that really reached me. It's hard not to get caught up in its adrenaline fueled performances ("Fire for Water"), grungy rumblers ("Deep Set"), incendiary ballades ("Don't Wanna Deal"), and narcotic chill ("Evacuation").

Hellvetika - redux series

Love Spit Love // redux by Hellvetika

Aaron D.C. Edge is one hell of an improviser and absolutely wowed us with this rather brilliant bunch of sludged-up tributes to the musical greats. Under the project name Hellvetika Aaron recorded whole albums of these damning transformations, including covers of: Alice in Chains, AC/DC, Deftones, NIN, Willie Nelson, STP, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, Clutch, Depeche Mode, Helmet, Audioslave, Joy Division, Weezer, Radiohead, Sting, and a whole lot more. I have no idea how long the project took him, but it certainly gives release to a lot of pent up emotion, perhaps borne of crushing isolation, and if so that's something I can entirely relate to. The series is also available sans voix right here.

I Am Low - Illusions

Illusions by I Am Low

I've been sort of low-key predicting that Grunge is poised for a big comeback. It's only natural, as the last two decades we reexamined the music of the '60s, '70s, and '80s. Hell, Brazil is a few years ahead of us, with grunge bands popping up left and right. Now, from Sweden comes Grunge med båda fötterna på Umeås jord ("Grunge with both feet on Umeå's soil")...I Am Low. Great name for a grunge band that meddles in doom, by the way. Their EP 'Illusions' (2020) (another late-December release) pulls you right in with its filthy tone, shimmering solos, and characteristically dulled singing. Like the disaffected youth of yesterday, they come with a disaffected message:

Here we are now All forgotten They betrayed us All for nothing

Sleepwulf - Sleepwulf

Then out of nowhere the following month, these standing stones of southern Sweden sent us their sublime sounds. Needless to say, we were enamored with the band's eponymous debut. Their feet firmly planted in the Pentagram school of doom, Sleepwulf are kindred spirits of Denmark's Demon Head and Norway's Dunbarrow. The band's debut LP was reviewed by Reek of STOOM in February.

Slift - UMMON

We introduced them to you on episode 18 of The Doomed & Stoned Show, but French band blew up weeks before with the widely-praised single "Hyperion." We wondered where these psychedelic krautrockers had been all our lives! Toulouse is the answer, and UMMON wasn't their only laudible opus, either.

☿

What were your favorite records of 2020? Leave a comment below and let us know! As 2021 unwraps, we want you to join us on a quest to find the best in heavy underground music. Give Doomed & Stoned a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily updates and subscribe to our weekly podcast for our choice cuts from the latest doom metal and stoner rock spins!

[bongwateronthevancarpet]

Forming the Void - “The Witch”  Holy nectar Precious waters Drink of the future Binding souls

[groovydoomlady]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mgYdrKsJsc)

Forming the Void – Relic 

[doomedandstoned]

DOOM AROUND THE WORLD

~Season 1, Episode 3~

Commemorating Doomed & Stoned's seventh anniversary, founder and editor in chief Billy Goate assembles some of his choice cuts from five decades of doom metal, including music by Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus, Trouble, and more. These are bands (and in some cases songs) that mark significant moments in the history of Doomed & Stoned.

PLAYLIST

Introduction: The Last Trumpet (00:00)   1. Black Sabbath - "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" (00:59)   2. Early Man - "Death Is The Answer" (06:44)   3. Iron Main - "Hail To The Haze" (12:19)   4. Goatsnake - "Flower of Disease" (17:09)   5. Down - "Beautifully Depressed" (23:51)   6. Eyehategod - "Parish Motel Sickness" (28:44)

Interlude: Hear Ye (32:25)   7. Age of Taurus - "Always in the Eye" (33:50)   8. Forming The Void - "On We Sail" (38:59)   9. High on Fire - "De Vermis Mysteriis" (44:34) 10. Dopelord - "Preacher Electrick" (48:26) 11. Electric Wizard - "Time To Die" (57:18) 12. Undersmile - "Cutters Choice" (1:05:05) 13. Saint Vitus - "Born Too Late" (1:12:41)

Interlude: Shoot Me (1:19:39) 14. HeavyDeath - "As We Foretold" (1:20:47) 15. Noctum - "Resurrected in Evil" (1:28:46) 16. Soundgarden - "Black Rain" (1:32:49) 17. Windhand - "Black Candles" (1:38:15) 18. Snailking - "Premonitions" (1:44:23) 19. Cough - The Wounding Hours" (1:55:20) 20. Seven Seconds of Silence (2:01:58)

  (thumbnail: Saint Antony. engraving by P. Picault after J. Callot)

[doomedandstoned]

The ABC’s of Doom

~By Billy Goate~

A is for

ALEPH NULL

Belladonna EP by Aleph Null

B is for

BLACK SABBATH

Black Sabbath live in Paris c. 1970

C is for

CANDLEMASS

Candlemass - "Astorolus - The Great Octopus"

D is for

DOPELORD

Sign Of The Devil by Dopelord

E is for

ELECTRIC WIZARD

Electric Wizard - "I Am Nothing"

F is for

FORMING THE VOID

Rift by Forming the Void

G is for

GREEN LUNG

Woodland Rites by GREEN LUNG

H is for

HEAVYDEATH

In Circles We Die by HEAVYDEATH

I is for

INTER ARMA

Sulphur English by Inter Arma

J is for

JIRM

Spirit Knife by Jeremy Irons & the Ratgang Malibus

K is for

KHANATE

Khanate by Khanate

L is for

LORD VICAR

The Black Powder by Lord Vicar

M is for

MONOLORD

No Comfort by Monolord

N is for

NOCTUM

Noctum - "Liberty In Death"

O is for

THE OBSESSED

Sacred by The Obsessed

P is for

PENTAGRAM

First Daze Here (2016 Reissue) by Pentagram

Q is for

GREAT ELECTRIC QUEST

Chapter II - OF EARTH by Great Electric Quest

R is for

REVEREND BIZARRE

Reverend Bizarre - "Doom Over The World"

S is for

SLEEP

Dopesmoker by Sleep

T is for

TROUBLE

Trouble - "End Of My Daze"

U is for

USNEA

Portals Into Futility by Usnea

V is for

SAINT VITUS

Die Healing by Saint Vitus

W is for

WINDHAND

Windhand by Windhand

X is for

XOTHOGUA

you wont reach shore by XOTHOGUA

Y is for

YEAR OF THE COBRA

Ash And Dust by Year of the Cobra

Z is for

ZQKMGDZ

ABSOLUTELY Z by ZQKMGDZ - 10.000 km² gegen die Zeit

*Also featured on Doomed & Stoned: The ABC's of Sludge!

[doomedandstoned]

Forming The Void Reveal Stark New Music Video “Trace The Omen”

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

Without doubt, Lafayette's FORMING THE VOID is one of the hottest bands to emerge from the heavy underground in recent years. They made a big splash at Psycho Las Vegas a few years ago, which is when I first had the opportunity to meet frontman James Marshall and company in person (truly some of the nicest guys you'll ever meet -- anyone will say it).

Despite Doomed & Stoned's longstanding history with the band (premiering music dating back to their Skyward and Relic LPs), it wasn't until they hit the stage at Reggie's during Chicago Doomed & Stoned Fest last year that I was smitten. My head told me I should be filming the band, but my heart told me to just stand there and soak in the heavy riffs and transcendent harmonies.

A tinted orange light peered down stoutly from the rafters, bathing the band in a rusty hue that reminded me of base red clay as they belted out the bulk of their then recent album Rift. It struck me right there and then that if a collective of cavemen had been frozen in time, awakened by the 21st century, and have now devoted themselves monastically to melancholic songs about the ancient days, that band would be Forming The Void.

Their latest, 'Reverie' (2020), delivers reliably to fans of the outfit's prior three albums and will pick up immediately on that tell-tale thick, sludgy low-end and chunky drumbeat that moves the rhythmic heart of opening track "Sage." It's earthy moving rhythm is joined by the prophetic utterance of vocals that soar vastly overhead, surveying the horizon like a bird of prey. It's a vibe that Slomatics fans will be used to, though arguably Forming The Void makes it much groovier. After all, you can't avoid the influence of the blues in a place like Louisiana.

"Onward Through The Haze" has us slogging through the swampland seeking reprieve from the omnipresent cover of mist, the hardy bass slinging like desperate stomps through the bog (whether literal or a metaphor for struggle), enjoined by some righteous guitar slaying later in the song.

This brings us to the third number on the album, "Trace The Omen," which Doomed & Stoned is pleased to present for your viewing pleasure in this music video. Don't be fooled by its mysterious, subdued opening; the song works its way up to a brilliant eruption of sound and emotion.

"Trace the Omen is one of the more pessimistic songs off this album," The band tells us. "It has an end of days theme and takes an indifferent look at it. The video concept is a tree of life growing and creating humanity, only to be destroyed by its creation. Cycle of life and death."

Forming The Void's 'Reverie' (2020) is a most worthy addition to their monolithic discography and in no wise disappoints. Now available on Ripple Music.

Give ear...

Forming The Void - "Trace The Omen" (official Video)

Some Buzz

Forming the Void invoke the progressive and heavy tendencies of Mastodon and Torche, the psychedelic and soaring melodies of Pink Floyd, and the rolling confidence of Soundgarden. With swamp mud stuck to their feet as they trudge forth from South Central Louisiana, they aren't afraid to slow things to a crawl, a welcome approach as shown by their last effort 'Rift' topping the Doom Charts at its arrival.

No strangers to the road, Forming The Void have crossed the US alongside Truckfighters, Church of Misery, Kings Destroy, Gozu and Howling Giant. Their otherworldly sound has earned them spots on large festivals such as Psycho Las Vegas, Denver's Electric Funeral Fest, Stoner Daze and Stoner Jam at SXSW, Maryland Doom Fest, and Descendants of Crom.

For their new album ‘Reverie’, the band seeks to further explore aspects of the sound they've shaped on their previous outings, guided by a desire to strike a balance between organic and intentional. The result is an album that reaches new levels of refined depth, mystical energy and cosmic transcendence.

Reverie by Forming the Void

Follow The Band

Get Their Music

[doomedandstoned]

THE DOOMED & STONED SHOW

~Season 5, Episode 33~

This week, another in our 'Doomed Cinema' series as Doomed & Stoned takes on 'Shriek of the Mutilated' (1974), the disjointed disasterpiece with a shock ending by director Michael Findlay, a grindhouse director responsible for dozens of low budget sleaze flicks in the '60s and '70s. Join Dr. Prell, his prize students Keith, Karen, Lynn, and Tom as they go into the wilderness searching for the fabled Yeti! Featuring songs by Black Sabbath, High on Fire, Big Business, and much more!

PLAYLIST:

TO CATCH A YETI (00:00) 1. High on Fire - "The Yeti" (01:46)

GIN-SUNG (08:54) 2. Telekinetic Yeti - "Abominable" (10:25)

SPENCER'S CAUTION (14:17) 3. Iron Reagan - "Warning" (15:59)

THE DOOMED EXPEDITION (18:12) 4. HeavyDeath - "As We Foretold" (21:51)

CARAVAN OF FOOLS (29:42) 5. Forming The Void - "Arrival" (30:16)

DOUBTS ARISE (35:53) 6. Big Business - "Abdominal Snowman" (36:38)

CLOSE ENCOUNTER (40:27) 7. King Bison - "March of the Sasquatch" (43:21)

A PLOT IS HATCHED (47:43) 8. Ape Vermin - "Abominable Hashmen" (49:07)

LAUGHING CROW'S ILL-FATED TONGUE (55:15) 9. Eerie - "Yeti" (57:02)

DEATH OF TOM (1:06:52) 10. Ruff Majik - "Tar Black Blood" (1:08:24)

DEATH OF LYNN (1:11:23) 11. Pressor - "Geeked Up Cookie Monster" (1:12:25)

IT'S A TRAP (1:19:22) 12. Mountains of Madness - "Unleash The Beast" (1:20:40)

LET'S GET OUT OF HERE (1:24:16) 13. Ape Cave - "Ape Cave" (1:25:08)

PLAN B (1:32:12) 14. Connoisseur - "Stoned Yeti" (1:35:40)

D-DAY FOR THE YETI HUNTERS (1:42:44) 15. Green Yeti - "The Yeti Has Landed" (1:43:43)

PLOT TWIST! (2:00:11) 16. Yeti On Horseback - "Dragged Down To Hell" (2:01:11)

DR. PRELL EXPOSED! (2:14:04) 17. Ruff Majik - "Come All Ye Druids" (2:16:08)

MEET THE CULT (2:21:13) 18. Green Lung - "Let The Devil In" (2:24:30)

WHITE MEAT OR DARK? (2:29:32) 19. Black Sabbath - "The Warning" (2:30:50)

*If you dig the show, please support it by becoming a monthly 'High on Fiver' supporter. Patrons get a bonus show with Billy Goate's choice cuts from the new doom metal and stoner rock releases.