#heavybest17

[doomedandstoned]

Album Covers That Blew Our Ever-Lovin’ Minds in ‘17

~By Billy Goate~

For The Love of Fantasy

The doom-stoner scene has long had a love affair with album art, much of which could be traced back to the thematic link between song lyrics and the fantasy and science fiction literature (indeed, Book of Wyrms directly alluded to these roots in January with the title of their debut, simply titled ‘Sci-Fi/Fantasy’). The animated features like Ralph Bakshi's Wizards (1977) and the Rankin/Bass television production The Hobbit from the same year, proved extraordinarily influential to artists of all stripes, whether their instrument of expression was the brush or guitar. And, of course, there was Heavy Metal (1981). Iron Maiden both fascinated and repulsed with their recurring figure of Eddie and Megadeth captivated imaginations with apocalyptic landscapes strewn with the horrific wreckage of what was once mankind.

I think we can agree that a milestone was reached for the doom-stoner genre, however, with the release of Sleep’s Dopesmoker in 1999. Arik Roper depicted neither gore nor violence, yet the landscape felt decidedly post-apocalyptic. More than that, it told a story -- one that was certainly complimented by the lyrics of the San Jose band’s seminal work (even inspiring fan fiction in the form of the short-lived Creedsmen Arise, half of would later form Vokonis). Dopesmoker was a turning point for album art, indeed, after which point commissions for album covers and even concert posters multiplied exponentially. We’re talking some high quality strokes to match the intensity of the riffs we were hearing and the quality bud that was perhaps being smoked to max out the experience. This was art you could really get lost in, hearkening back to the dime store novels and Golden Age comic books that have been a part of Western reading for over a century.

In the decade of the 2010′s, one David Paul Seymour would dominate as the most recognized and celebrated artists for bands and fans alike. He was certainly not alone. We must also give props to the art of Skinner (a Mastodon go-to), Rob Leecock (Monster Magnet), John Dyer Baizley (Baroness), David D'Andrea from Samaritan Press (Sleep), Kiryk Drewinski (Liquid Visions), Paolo Girardi (Lycus) Nick Keller (Beastwars), John Santos (Torche), Adrian Baxter (Alunah), Mark McCormick (Witch Mountain), Zé Burnay (Space God Ritual), Pig Hands (Dopelord), Dominic Sohor (High Fighter), Colin Bolger of Dabulga Design, Antoine Defarges of Headbang Design, Goatess Doomwych, and many more. Of special note is Adrien Dexter (featured in the spread above), who has been the Elder album cover artist of choice record after record. Adrien went for a particularly striking color this year that was quite effective in breaking out of the drab palette we’ve become accustomed to (and complemented the music surprisingly well).

Doomed & Stoned

Artist of the Year

Most recently, another artist has taken the art of the album cover to another level altogether -- the Portland-based artist Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration. Using oils to pain vast canvases of fantasy, Adam made a huge impression on bands last couple year with his album covers for Ancient Warlocks, Bright Curse, Great Electric Question, Pastor, and R.I.P. His powers of light and dark landscapes hold true to the fantasy genre that precedes him and takes the medium to bold new places. Not surprisingly, his project plate was full in 2017. Adam Burke gets our most approving nod for Artist of the Year! Here are some of his album covers -- all of these in 2017, mind you:

ARTIFICIAL BRAIN

‘Infrared Horizon’ (April 2017)

ATTALLA

‘Glacial Rule’ (March 2017)

BASK

‘Ramble Beyond’ (2017)

CLOUD CATCHER

‘Trails of Kosmic Dust’ (March 2017)

DESTROYER OF LIGHT

‘Chamber of Horrors’ (July 2017)

ENTOMBMENT

‘Entombment’ (June 2017)

FIREBREATHER

‘Firebreather’ (February 2017)

GATECREEPER

‘Sonoran Depravation’ (October 2017)

HÄLLAS

‘Excerpts From A Future Past’ (October 2017)

HORRIFIED

‘Allured of the Fallen’ (September 2017)

KOOK

'Kook’ (April 2017)

LOSS

‘Horizonless’ (May 2017)

MOTHERSHIP

‘High Strangeness’ (March 2017)

NECROMANDUS

‘Necromandus’ (July 2017)

PAGAN ALTAR

‘The Room of Shadows’ (August 2017)

RUBY THE HATCHET

‘Planetary Space Child’ (August 2017)

SOLSTAFIR

‘Berdreyminn’ (May 2017)

SPACE WITCH

‘Arcanum’ (June 2017)

SPECTRAL HAZE

‘Turning Electric’ (November 2017)

SUMOKEM

‘The Guardian of Yosemite’ (October 2017)

TCHORNOBOG

‘Tchornobog’ (July 2017)

As is always the case with an Adam Burke cover, there is more than meets the eye...

WAR CLOUD

'War Cloud' (September 2017)

Adam Burke will be involved in the upcoming animated epic, ‘The Planet of Doom.’ The film is presently in the works, a production of Riff Lodge Animation. It's plot? "Halvar the Brave seeks vengeance aboard a witch-born chopper, journeying across a psychedelic landscape on a quest to defeat the deadly beast Mördvél for the slaying of his bride." The saga will play out in 14 chapters, with doom metal bands providing the soundtrack and today's finest album artists bringing the vision to life. Screenplay by David Paul Seymour and animated directed by Tim Granda.

Here’s one of the many landscapes from the forthcoming animated feature 'Planet of Doom' that he’ll be involved in, with a number of others.

Doomed & Stoned

Album Cover of the Year

Alright, as much praise as Doomed & Stoned is heaping on the esteemed Mr. Burke, there’s one album cover that absolutely stole away both heart and imagination this year and that belongs to Bell Witch, who commissioned Polish painter Mariusz Lewandowski to produce this mindfuck of a masterpiece for their Doom Charting record Mirror Reaper.

BELL WITCH

‘Mirror Reaper’ (October 2017)

Here’s the full panorama. The piece is titled ‘Esencja wolności.’ If you had to guess what that means what would you suppose? I translated it as “Essence Freedom” and asked one of our former contributors who lives in Poland for a more accurate one. “The Essence of Freedom,” she responded. “Now it’s correct.” This sheds a whole new light for me on the Bell Witch album, which speaks of the relationship between life, death, and loss (unpacked nicely by Jacob Mazlum in his review here).

While Mariusz may not the first to play with the idea of the interdimensional mirror, scarcely has it been depicted more effectively. In fact, it’s become something of a recurring theme in his oils. I enthusiastically encourage you to dive into this incredible artist’s work.

OTHERS WE LIKED...

ACID WITCH

‘Evil Sound Screamers’ (October 2017)

Artist: Shagrat

ALUNAH

'Solennial' (March 2017)

Artist: Adrian Baxter

BORRACHO

‘Riffography’ (December 2017)

Artist: Andrea Nakasato

DVNE

‘Asheran’ (July 2017)

Artist: Eli Quinn

DOPELORD

'Children of the Haze’ (2017)

Artist: Pig Hands

ELDER

‘Reflections of a Floating World’ (June 2017)

Artist: Adrian Dexter

FIRE DOWN BELOW

‘Viper Vixen Goddess Saint’ (June 2017)

Artist: Stash Illustration

FULL OF HELL

‘Trumpeting Ecstasy’ (May 2017)

Artist: Mark McCoy

GREENBEARD

'Lödarödböl ' (July 2017)

Artist: Antoine Defarges

KAYLETH/FAVEQUAID

‘Second Coming of Heavy: Chapter Six’ (July 2017)

Artist: Ghosttown Graphics

KING WEED

‘Smoking Land’ (May 2017)

Artist: Esra Røise

KING ZOG

‘King Zog’ (May 2017)

Artist: Dominic Sohor

MAHARAJA

'Kali Yuga' (September 2017)

Artist: Adam Eckley

MONOLITH CULT

‘Gospel of Despair’ (November 2017)

Artist: Dan Goldsworthy

MUTOID MAN

‘War Moans’ (June 2017)

Artist: John Santos

NAUTILUS

‘The Wrath of the Sea’ (September 2017)

Artist: Dabulga Design

NORSKA

‘Too Many Winters’ (May 2017)

Artist: Mark McCormick

PALLBEARER

‘Heartless’ (March 2017)

Artist: Chimère Noire

SATURNDUST

‘RLC’ (April 2017)

Artist: Mike Winkelmann (aka Beeple)

SQUALUS

'The Great Fish' (September 2017)

Artist: Aaron John Gregory

SKUNK

‘Doubleblind’ (April 2017)

Artist: Dmitri Mavra

TELEKINETIC YETI

'Abominable ' (March 2017)

Artist: Antoine Defarges

THE FLYING EYES

‘Burning of the Season’ (September 2017)

Artist: Kiryk Drewinski

THE SWILL

‘Master of Delusion’ (June 2017)

Artist: Dan MacDonald

THREE EYES LEFT

‘The Cult of Astaroth’ (October 2017)

Artist: SoloMacello

USNEA

‘Portals Into Futility’ (September 2017)

Artist: Orion Landau

VOKONIS

‘The Sunken Djinn’ (June 2017)

Artist: Tessa Najjar

[doomedandstoned]

SEATTLE AFTER SUNDOWN

~Words & Photos by Chris Schanz~

Doomed & Stoned's chief contributor from the Emerald City gives us a decidedly Northwest perspective on the music scene and how it affected him in 2017. Here are the albums the ruled the night, mixed in among the Chris' unparalelled photographic vision. (Editor)

Bell Witch -- Mirror Reaper

Mirror Reaper by Bell Witch

Finding out that Adrian Guerra was the younger cousin of a schoolmate of mind and from my hometown after his death, not seeing them play live before his death, and discovering just how awesome they were may be a tragedy. Seeing Dylan Desmond come back with a stunning tribute and beautiful album this year made it

Year Of The Cobra -- Burn Your Dead

Burn Your Dead by Year of the Cobra

A wonderful couple, rewriting the power duo dynamic for our local heavy and doom scene. Killer album packaging, as well (I’m not just saying that because of the photos, either). A perfect sophomore album for the band and shows growth in the songwriting curve.

Substratum -- Substratum

Substratum by Substratum

While it’s an “official” debut LP, Substratum has been around awhile. Shredding metal riffs and searing, soaring vocals that rival Vengeance-era Judas Priest and Seattle’s own Sanctuary (RIP Warrel Dane). WATCH THESE ONES.

Chelsea Wolfe -- Hiss Spun

Hiss Spun by CHELSEA WOLFE

I’ve been a rabid fan since Apokalypsis. I finally got to see her up close at the Showbox. The things I had to endure to get there (drunken Amazon bro’s and all) made my effort all the more worthwhile to hear these songs performed live.

Heiress/Great Falls -- Split 7”

Split 7" w/Great Falls by heiress

Two of my favorite and heaviest acts in one 7”, part of a three 7” package on Mylene Sheath Records that utilizes the artwork by Demian Johnson from Great Falls beautifully. Very collectible!

Terrasone -- Reclaim

Take Off by Terrasone

Sadly, this album was released posthumously, as the lineup refocused on other projects (Infinite Flux and The Deaddrones). I regret not being able to see my good friends perform live, even though there were ample opportunities! Long live Terrasone!

Crystal Fairy -- Crystal Fairy

Crystal Fairy by Crystal Fairy

If the Melvins produce an album in any flavor – it makes my list!! Gifted on vinyl to me on my birthday by my brother and sister-in-law, all Melvins projects carry my favorite musical memories of our band together.

Kings of Cavalier -- Sacred Fruit

Reid’s Viking vocals rage and Ian’s guitar work shines on this recording by Jack Endino at Soundhouse. A proud addition to the Seattle heavy scene family, and I’m proud to call them friends! And that album art? Classy!

Old Iron -- Lupus Metallorum

Lupus Metallorum (see album description for vinyl) by Old Iron

I saw Jerad Shealey play bass with Heiress when I was introduced to them a few years back -- just missing his set with Old Iron. It’s in my New Year resolutions to see more shows and not miss my friends’ performances. Great album and tour!

Brett Netson and SNAKES -- Snakes/Crosss

SNAKES/CROSSS by Brett Netson and SNAKES

More name dropping, please. I split a 7” with Caustic Resin in 1994 -- so vague, so early in their game that it only exists on cassette anymore. Caustic Resin were early Pacific Northwest stoner-desert rock pioneers. Brett continued his journey touring with Built to Spill and the Mark Lanegan Band. Snakes/Crosses is a long, dark road through the desert at midnight, passing through the badlands in a thunderstorm. A journey worthy of Doomed & Stoned...and once again, not just because I took some bitchin’ photos at their last Seattle gig.

PALOOKA -- Turbo Excelente

Once again, it’s NOT just because it took a year to produce the photography, cover art, typography and marketing collateral – it’s because PALOOKA ROCKS! Technically not doom or stoner, but essential listening for the local heavy listening buff. Consisting of Seattle rock royalty (NW Metalfest, anyone?), PALOOKA’s sophomore album is a London Bridge Studio masterpiece evoking Mother Love Bone, Alice Cooper and that BIG, THICK ROCK guitar mastery lost since 1977.

Twelve Thirty Dreamtime -- Dreamsongs

Dreamsongs 1997-1999 by Twelve Thirty Dreamtime

We near the end of my list with a look ahead at 2018. Devil’s Child Records does it again, releasing the 1997 project by Mos Generator’s Tony Reed on a beautiful smoked vinyl (available in February).

There's more of Chris Schanz's work to be amazed by. Head on over to his site and you'll get lost for hours. He's also covered quite a few Doomed & Stoned events for us, including this year's High Summer Fest. Check all his published work to date in these pages right here.

[doomedandstoned]

USNEA’s New LP ‘Portals Into Futility’ is a Triumph

☿   By Adam Mundwarf   Photos by Alyssa Herrman (Foto Phortress) ⚵

As this is my first album review for Doomed and Stoned, I’d first like to extend a thanks to Billy for bringing me onboard to share a walking walls of words with you all, confabulating all things heavy and high as hell.   A little background on me here, first.   I moved to Portland two years ago from The Black Hills of South Dakota, where I played in bands all over the state since the age of 16, booked bands at the brewery I was brewing for at the time, and helped promote the local metal and punk scene of the Black Hills, for it needed (and still needs) as much support as it could get.   After a short run doing brewing stuff at Rogue Ales in Newport, Oregon and a few months up in Tacoma, Washington, the first time I visited Portland I knew that it was the place for me.  My friends in the Fire Nuns put me up on their couch for a bit while I got my shit together.   Since then, I've gotten a job as a fulltime budtender, so I sell weed -- legally -- which, as someone from South Dakota, kinda blows my mind!

I met a drummer and started Urchin.   Recently, we played the Psycho Las Vegas pool party and have been a part of a considerable amount of shows that I'd never have had the opportunity to participate in if I'd remained in that small South Dakota town of 12,000 people.   Growing up in such a desolate area of the country, I think, made it very easy to get swept up in the doom, black metal, and stoner world.   I have experienced fewer things in life more relatable to the disassociation I felt growing up in South Dakota than some of this doom shit.   I love it and I cannot wait to share with you my thoughts on some metal, so let’s get to it:

USNEA'S NEW RECORD KICKS DICK!!!

Portals Into Futility by Usnea

Allow me to elaborate on that...

It's going on about two years now, since I first saw USNEA perform.   My friend Lee, guitarist for Seattle death-grind band Theories, had just hit the road playing in Black Breath and I wanted to see him shred with his new project, as always I try to get to shows to see the entire bill -- especially if I am unfamiliar with any bands.   When Usnea started playing, I was instantly a fan.   I had seen Seattle doom dogs Bell Witch several times while living near Tacoma, and in a flash I was feeling very similar vibes to that of Usnea.   I remember how they used the openness of the sustained, droned-out, downtuned guitars and thinking how HUGE their sound was.   You could feel the sound's presence.   Plus, having two very capable vocalists in the band only enhanced my first Usnea experience, because I have heaps of respect for good vocalists (which I am not!).

Since then, I have seen Usnea numerous times, did web work for their label for a brief bit there, and caught them at Psycho Las Vegas a couple months back.   Needless to say, I stumbled upon Usnea very organically at that Black Breath show and since, Usnea has impressed me with their delightfully barbarous live shows and top-notch studio recordings, along with just being real decent human beings!

'Portals Into Futility' (2017 - Relapse Records) fleshes out concepts touched on in their sophomore album 'Random Cosmic Violence' (2014), in brooding, full-dressed fashion.   It starts with an inviting, slow-rolled, mesmerizing chant which very efficiently transports you somewhere very surreal and celestial.   Quickly, we're brought into a very dismal groove, with some righteous screeching.   Ghostly trudging along with some vast palm muted sustaining tones makes you feel completely engulfed in chaos, but a chaos that’s forbearing, a chaos that is well aquatinted, a chaos that you and I, the world, and in this instance Usnea, created sonically to such great effect.

Taking on, and expanding, sci-fi concepts inspired by Ursula Le Guin, Usnea takes us across a landscaped painting of a frightening, undesirable world where we wish all civilization could be replaced with lush growth...uh, I mean "lush old growth," in classic Oregon fashion.   Although not at all losing the psychedelic, transcendental, far-out nature of their music, Portals Into Futility feels of blissfully traveling through nothingness, being lost at sea, or trapped inside a metal coffin while its being set onto a funeral pyre. To throw it back to a track off of Random Cosmic Violence: a brazen bull, while your flesh sears on the brass, your consciousness gently wanders off, and your pain threshold passed, with nothing but the low chants and glass piercing screams of Usnea to bring you comfort.

My favorite track of the album happens to be its final number, “A Crown of Desolation,” based purely on how hand-over-fist the mix of Usnea, with what sounds like piano at the beginning of the song, gives off the feeling of completely being on one’s own.   There is always a very special, specific feeling whenever piano is used in the studio; it can be used like shit or it can add several levels of feels.   Euphoric piano mixed with the thick doom and blackened atmosphere Usnea creates is, I believe, unmatched through the record.   Mind you, “A Crown of Desolation” is 18 minutes long, so there are a lot of places the track takes you to here.   Though the piano may be a small bit of the song, due to its very tasteful use, but it is what makes this one stand out so much to me -- very similarly to how “Wormland” on the new Monolord record tops any of the other tracks for me, just due to the production value that the violin brings to the nature of the track.

Overall, Usnea doesn’t really break too much out of the mold they have made for themselves here, and that is just fine for a band whose first album came out just four years ago, in 2013.   I thought their sophomore effort, though a great one, seemed a little mailed in, perhaps rushed, when listening to their debut Usnea to start and then Random Cosmic Violence.   With Portals Into Futility, Usnea cements their sound -- and the band itself -- into the higher echelons of PDX doom, while expanding on concepts and growing in the studio.

Budtender's Strain Pairing Recommendation: Recon (LA confidential x Cannadential. Indica as fuck!)

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USNEA IN CONCERT

European Tour with Ufomammut

Oct 05 Wiesbaden, DE Schlachthof Oct 06 Pratteln, CH Up In Smoke Oct 07 Nijmegen, NL Soulcrusher Festival @ Doornroosje Festival Oct 08 Bielefed, DE Forum Oct 10 Oslo, NO Blitz Oct 11 Stockholm, SE Klub Undergangen Oct 13 Helsinki, FI Korjaamo Blowup VOL 3 Oct 14 Tampere, FI Olympia-Kortelli Oct 16 Copenhagen, DK KB 18 Oct 17 Berlin, DE Lido Oct 18 Hamburg, DE Markthalle Oct 19 Leipzig, DE Werk 2 Oct 20 Wroclaw, PL Firley Oct 21 Prag Checkt, DE 007 Oct 22 Munich, DE Keep It Doom

Film by Arturo Gallegos

[doomedandstoned]

THE DOOMED & STONED PODCAST

The Best of The Year So Far in Doom Metal & Stoner Rock!

In this mid-May edition of The Doomed & Stoned Show, host Billy Goate and special guest Steve Howe from the UK blog Outlaws Of The Sun trade their Top 7 releases of the first-half of 2017.

In this 'cast, you'll encounter some familiar names and discover brand new ones. One thing you can be sure of, there's some fine songcraft on display here. Fresh doom-stoner vibes by: Altar of Betelgeuze, Bathsheba, Brume, Fange, Forming The Void, HYMN, OHHMS, Marche Funebre, Mastodon, Summoner, Season of Arrows, Super Snake, The Obsessed, Two Headed Beast, and Vokonis. We close with a rare track by Chris Cornell, who passed away on May 18th, 2017.

PLAYLIST:

1. Brume: "Grit & Pearls" (00:11) 2. The Obsessed : "Stranger Things" (15:39) 3. Forming the Void: "After Earth" (22:01) 4. Super Snake: "Lie4u" (29:33) 5. OHHMS: "The Magician" (38:22) 6. Summoner: "Beyond The Realm of Light" (46:35) 7. Vokonis: "The Sunken Djinn" (54:16) 8. Mastodon: "Jaguar God" (1:03:08) 9. Two Headed Beast: "Hail To The Chief" (1:15:53) 10. Marche Funèbre: "Deprived (Into Darkness) (1:19:59) 11. Fange : "Les Gemonies" (1:29:27) 12. HYMN: "Perish" (1:43:31) 13. Bathsheba: "Conjuration of Fire" (1:53:52) 14. Altar Of Betelgeuze: "No Return" (2:01:33) 15. Season of Arrows: "The Bridge" (2:11:19) 16. Chris Cornell: "Season (Home Studio Version)" (2:29:36)

Incidental music by Hexgrafv, Seer, Stondar, Stone From The Sky, TarLung, Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight,  and Troll

Catch The Doomed & Stoned Show live each week on Grip of Delusion Radio at 3 pm PST / 6 pm EST / 11 pm GMT. Archived broadcasts at: mixcloud.com/doomedandstonedofficial

Explore the music and the stories of the heavy underground at www.DoomedandStoned.com and check out Steve's awesome site with tons of reviews: outlawsofthesun.blogspot.com.

Dig even deeper into the music of the heavy underground in our free compilation series: doomedandstoned.bandcamp.com

[doomedandstoned]

Get Wasted With Demonsmoke's 'Morphine Moonshine'

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goat

-Concert Photos by Arielle Rodriguez-

"My rock 'n' roll is not to entertain, but to annihilate," declared the infamous GG Allin. "I'm trying to bring danger back into rock 'n' roll, and there are no limits and no laws and I break down every barrier put in front of me 'till the day I die."   Those words could very well be the credo of Cali's DEMONSMOKE.   Before us is their debut album, 'Morphine Moonshine' (2017) -- a hazard to man, woman, and child alike.

Demonsmoke are a relatively new face, holed up in one of the smaller dwellings near East Bay.   "We stay out in a forgotten poverty town called Antioch," I'm told.   "Everything is pretty shitty out here, including the mass amounts of tweakers and just the general atmosphere.   We try to do what we love and have a good time in amongst all this bullshit that's going on in the world."

The gang of four encompass Cam's roaring vox, Vinny's laser sharp guitar licks, Boug's ground-shaking bass play, and Mitch driving one damning drumbeat.   "Boug is actually my uncle, as well," Mitch tells me, "so we have the family connection in the rhythm section."

Demonsmoke have been doing their thing since 2015, dropping a demo and the appropriately titled single, "Spewing Disgust" (rebooted for this record and the track most likely to cause a riot).   "Tons of Sabbath worship bands are out now with clean vocals and nice tones," Mitch reflects.   "We are about the gritty side of the scene.   Chunky, pounding, fuzzed-out music with a harsh dose of vocals."

"We love the heavy blues southern style of music and feel that aggressive vocals are key to that style."   Having just borne witness Birmingham's Midmourner touring these parts, I know folks like these take their sludge very seriously.   That's why Morphine Moonshine is such an appropriate title for Demonsmoke.   These hill-born roughnecks don't give a fuck about you, but if you play your cards right they just might invite you onto the cabin porch for a taste of the good stuff.

Dan Kaufeldt's loathsome album art captures the mood and attitude perfectly.   The vibe really comes to life, though, in the album's title track, which is just plain punishing.   I felt stigmatic bruising all over my body after repeated exposure, and by the end of the album I was looking to borrow my dad's blood pressure meds (he's not sharing, so reefer it is).   "Through The Sun" brings the whole clan together with the most infectious, hell-yeah riffs of the record.

Well, maybe I spoke too soon.   You see, each song on Morphine Moonshine just ups the ante.   I'm listening to "Sever" now and realizing that Demonsmoke have been storing up a lot of anguished rage over the years (see: "Set In Stoned") and have finally found their outlet.

The opening "Alriiiiight!" of "Junkie" signals the pit for action.   I can see this one raising a lot of ruckus.   Live shows, it is rumored, can be downright frightening. Rule #1: don't get in Demonsmoke's way, unless you enjoy a good knock in the noggin (and some of you no doubt need it).   Morphine Moonshine is bedlam at its best.   I imagine if this played out in one of those fabled chicken-wire covered stages, there'd be bottles and French fries flying everywhere.

The first thing you're likely to notice is how pristine the recording sounds.   "We recorded the album in October at Earhammer Studios in Oakland with Greg Wilkinson, bassist of Brainoil," the band says.   Greg's singular vision gives the album remarkable continuity.   "He recorded, mixed, mastered the whole thing."

Every note comes across with vibrancy and clarity -- no muddy middle, no muted bass, no scratchy treble, just gloriously fuzzy low-end and beautifully raging vocals (if one can even call them beautiful).   In "Creeping Down Your Neck," Cam sounds as if he's spilling every ounce of venom in his soul on some forested cliff, pronouncing judgement on the world.

Morphine Moonshine is everything I could want in a sludge metal album and is without controversy one of the year's standout releases.   There's not an ounce of fat on the record, just lean, mean madness.   Or my favorite description: exquisitely ugly.   Fans of Dopethrone, Weedeater, and Gurt should be all over this like flies on filth.

Today, Doomed & Stoned is giving Demonsmoke's Morphine Moonshine its North American premiere (partnering with Sludgelord for its European debut).   The album releases in digital format on May 2nd, with CD and limited edition cassettes (just 40 produced) following on May 23rd (pre-orders here).

And now...give ear.

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Photo by Kim Alexander

[doomedandstoned]

After Two Decades, The Obsessed Rally A Stunning Comeback

~By Papa Paul, with Billy Goate~

☤

Wet fur bears the smell of death...   

So begins the unimpeachable new record by THE OBSESSED, featuring living legend Scott "Wino" Weinrich (guitars/vox), Dave Sherman (bass), and Brian Costantino (drums).   It's both an unlikely return and a triumphant one, their first LP in over 20 years.   Beginning life as Warhorse in 1976, the Maryland trio dropped a series of demos in '80 and '85 under a new moniker: The Obsessed.   Not until 1990 did they issue their self-titled debut.   A second full-length followed just a year later, the much celebrated Lunar Womb.   The prolific stream of songwriting culminated in The Church Within in '94.   Then...radio silence.   A split and a pair of live albums put The Obsessed back in the public eye again in the new millennium, however briefly, but they went back underground as quickly as they'd emerged.   No one could have anticipated a resurgence this big, and 2017 continues to bear its surprises.

'Sacred' (2017 - Relapse Records) proves yet again that Wino is one of the great singer-songwriters of our time.   Though tragically unknown to the public at large, Wino has earned great esteem in metal circles.   Since the reactivation of Saint Vitus in 2008, a whole new generation of Born Too Late fanatics were born, drawn to the uncompromising, confessional nature of Wino's lyrics, which capture so perfectly the struggle with addiction, rejection, and despair.   In that same vein, Sacred encompasses vignettes of love, loss, and the life of a man "living true, living free" in a moonstruck world.

Wino's story is not unlike another well-known Maryland doomer: Bobby Liebling of Pentagram.   Both active since the seventies, Bobby and Wino were playing downtuned, riff-heavy metal before anyone knew what to call this emerging subgenre.   Both lived the wildest lives imaginable, their early success hampered by excess and addiction.   The Obsessed and Pentagram became the soundtrack for a generation of free-spirited bikers, misfits, and rebels who swore allegiance to the open road and the United States of Doom.

Sodden Jackal

The child is delivered unto the earth From the womb of a beast

Sacred by The Obsessed

"Sodden Jackal" wastes no time throwing us right into the deep end of the Lake of Fire.   A slow-burning chug ushers us into "a scene of evil unbelieved."   What's amazing is this song travels all the way back to the band's first ever recording.   'The Obsessed' (1983), predating the band's first LP by seven years, is a three-song EP which is now a coveted collector's item.   "Sodden Jackal" is its B-side.

As for Wino, in between the release of that 7" and the 12" eponymous, he was steadily building his rep in the emerging doom underground as successor to Scott Reagers of Saint Vitus.   I'm sure the rest of the Wino story, including his many bands and accomplished solo career, are well known to our readers.   If not, man do you have some treasures awaiting your discovery, so commence to digging!

Punk Crusher

Steal and lie to get your fix, We all know who you really are, Be gone with all your idle tricks I’m your Punk crusher

Sacred by The Obsessed

The heavy stomp of the first track transitions now to a song of equal heft, but with a considerably faster tempo: "Punk Crusher.   I'm reminded of a story from that sling of dates Saint Vitus played with Black Flag in 1984/85.   Wino & co. would open each show, much to the bewilderment of Mohawks across the concert hall.   Simply put, slow 'n' low was not a popular sound (far more underground then than now).   In an interview with Westword, Vitus axeman Dave Chandler recalls, "Pretty much ninety percent of them hated us with a passion...throwing whatever wasn't nailed down and generally fucking with us."   The guys proved equal to the challenge, however, demonstrating that punk attitude was as much at home with leaden metal riffs as it is was with the fast-talking swagger of Henry Rollins.

Sacred

Through dimension’s mists we fly Chrome fang, diamond eye

The album's namesake track is a real head banger.   This song could be classed seventies hard rock, but the way Wino belts out those riffs and sings with his trademark menace, it can't help but feel like heavy metal.   Those scorching guitar leads are a real standout here.   Wino's technique has matured like aged whisky, giving us plenty of kick and a ton of attitude.   The Obsessed is always about attitude!

Haywire

Took the gamble took the chances Made the choice

Sacred by The Obsessed

The fourth song is classic Obsessed, a track that might even be outlaw country were it played differently.   But Weinrich, Raley, and Constantino aren't planning on leaving their bad ass biker roots anytime soon.

Perseverance of Futility

You’d best back off Don’t tread on me!

Sacred by The Obsessed

"Perseverance" keeps the record's vibe rockin' steady.   Album after album, The Obsessed draw from a seemingly bottomless well of riffage that always manages to sound fresh, and occasionally surprises us.   Oh, and are those keys I'm hearing behind this haunted atmosphere?   Nice touch!

It's Only Money

Try to make a buck But you ever made a penny Know you need a little love But you know you won't get any

Sacred by The Obsessed

We're now at the half-way mark and this next one is especially interesting -- a killer cover of the Thin Lizzy song, "It's Only Money."   Thin Lizzy was one of baddest bands of funky town back in the '70s, though for me marred by the pursuit of commercial success.   I never thought of this before, but when Thin Lizzy was at their heaviest they had similar attitude to The Obsessed.   The difference was The Obsessed took that 'tude by the horns and never let go.   This remake proves just how heavy a rock and roll song can be.   Truly one of the highlights of Sacred.

Cold Blood

The day will come And time will tell Was this livin’ Or just a magical spell?

Sacred by The Obsessed

"Cold Blood" is vintage Obsessed, with some unbelievably catchy leads and hooks reminiscent of the beloved riffs of 'Lunar Womb' (1991).   Twenty-seven years later, The Obsessed have taken their bread and butter and slathered it with hot sauce, giving their trademark sound an exciting twist.   Interestingly, though the track comes with lyrics, it's played entirely without them.   This actually works, as it gives Sacred a sense of balance.   Hey, a good instrumental in the middle of an album always works for me.

Stranger Things

It’s only fair you get called out I’ve got plenty of my own misery And your trip I figured out It boils down to jealousy

Sacred by The Obsessed

An acoustic intro opens the eighth song, developing into a ballad-like theme with a chorus that's very easy on the ears.   Dare I say it has a radio-friendly feel to it?   This could be a good track to introduce The Obsessed to newcomers.   Popular appeal aside, "Stranger Things" ultimately stays true to the dark intensity of an Obsessed song.   Once again, Wino's guitar work is phenomenal.

Razor Wire

Ain’t no wrath Like a mad man that’s been burned

Sacred by The Obsessed

By now, I trust you've gotten to know the album's first single, which has been doing the rounds for a few months.   This, and the song that follows, feature some of the most intimate lyrics of the record. "Razor Wire" appears to be about the heartbreak of a love affair, perhaps hinting at one of Wino's own relationships. It started with a wistful feeling of love, hope, and trust, but the illusion faded as betrayal is revealed. The singer feels like he's trapped in a cage of razor wire, but he's pissed and he's about to tear right out of that rusty cage.

My Daughter, My Sons

My children dear Won’t you lend me your ear I got a song of love to sing you Live your own life, Be honest and kind Always speak your mind

Sacred by The Obsessed

As with his solo work and the recent collaborations with Conny Ochs, Wino bares his heart, giving us a rare window into his family life and the sacred bond between father and child.   Music-wise, this one is in the slowed-down, traditional doom style that I fell in love with some 30 years ago.   Wino is in top form, vocally.   Best of all, I got to play a bit of air guitar to that awesome picking!   Hey, I couldn't resist.

Be The Night

I know it’s been a long, dark life The sun will rise for you again

Sacred by The Obsessed

This track brings back memories of hanging out well into twilight, partying with friends, living "the life."   It triggers recollections of seeing The Obsessed in their prime, playing late into the night at some biker bar in the deep woods of Western Maryland.   This song is about the struggle between the proverbial devil on one shoulder, the angel on the other.   Who will win out?   "I'm gonna kill that man someday," Wino seethes.   Does this refer to someone he has a vendetta against or a dark manifestation of his own self?   You decide.

On So Long

Sacred (Deluxe Version) by The Obsessed

After an interlude, we arrive at a pair of bonus tracks that you'll find on the limited edition double vinyl.   "On So Long" bridges the late seventies and early eighties, reflecting the evolving face of doom.   The riffs in this one will pierce you right through the heart -- a prime example of why Wino is a living legend.   His singing is replete with emotion, contrasted with searing, short bursts of guitar.   It is this introspection that makes Sacred so special and confirms The Obsessed's place as one of my all-time favorite bands.   Regardless of who he's playing with, Wino has always been willing to give us a window into his soul.   This "realness" is one of the prime reasons he appeals to listeners.   I certainly identified with it when I was living the fast life.   Ultimately, I had to walk away to save my hide from jail, or worse.   This doesn't mean I enjoy The Obsessed any less.   Quite to the contrary, I find myself appreciating it now more than ever.

Crossroader Blues

Sacred (Deluxe Version) by The Obsessed

The last song, appropriately, pays tribute to the outlaw life.   Over the course of the album, the band has flexed the stylistic range, from stoner rock to heavy metal to plodding doom and now the blues.   The Obsessed have a full palette of color at their command here.

In the end, The Obsessed's return has not disappointed.   If you're as big a fan as I am, you've likely listened to the album dozens of times already.   Sacred is a triumph, the embodiment of the words Wino sang three decades ago: "Like life's living, make it sweet."

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[doomedandstoned]

Indy's Archarus and Thorr-Axe Team For Epic Tribute To The Hobbit

By Melissa Marie (D&S Midwest)

The past several years have yielded massive milestones for the Midwest heavy underground.   Top drawer releases, North American and European tours, independent festivals (I'm looking at you, Erosion Fest), and thousands of staunchly loyal fans are evidence of a vibrant scene that continues to kick stubbornly against popular trends.   We got a glimpse of the best slow 'n' low talent the region had to offer at the first annual Doomed & Stoned Festival in Indianapolis this past November, where acts like Archarus, Conjurer, Drude, Gorgantherron, Thorr Axe, and Void King wowed our humble little gathering.

Now two of these Indiana hitters, ARCHARUS and THORR-AXE, have joined forces to chronicle scenes from J.R.R. Tolkien’s seminal novel, The Hobbit.   As Archarus enters its third year and Thorr-Axe nears its tenth, those of us who've been keeping track of their songwriting and performances can't help but marvel at how much they've grown musically. 'The Hobbit Split' (2017), as it has become known, gives us four well-conceived tracks from Thorr-Axe and three from Archarus.

Last year, Archarus guitarist and singer Matt Hannon departed to pursue other goals and guitarist Drew Smith stepped up to helm the trio. As any band knows, lineup adjustments can sometimes bring growing pains, but Archarus has adapted gracefully.   Smith's voice is the clearest I've heard on this full-length split, despite a few moments of hesitation. In their three-song offering, Archarus present a stronger metallic edge and seem a bit more adventurous in their material than we've heard previously.   Continuing with their self-described stoner-thrash sound, Archarus seek to win us over straight away with "Foehammer," a real headbanger that would fit in beautifully on their debut, 'Render Unto Archarus' (2015).   However, the high-energy songs that follow truly capture the spirit of this concept split. "Flies and Spiders" is a must-hear, embracing a fist-raising, true metal sound, complete with a shredding guitar solo.   "Erabor" contrasts with a slower, groove-laden strut ideal for a late night driving.

Thorr-Axe / Archarus - The Hobbit Split-Album by Archarus

There's a lot to be said about the flip side, too. Thorr-Axe is a band you just gotta love. Tucker Thomasson formed this outfit as a teenager and, despite the foul metalcore scene in town, this foursome have managed to stay strong.   I first caught wind of Thorr-Axe a couple years after 'Wall Of Spears' (2011) was turned loose.   At the time, I was captivated, but totally unaware they were an Indiana band. Since then, they've come to be known as "Indiana's High On Fire" -- a well-deserved title at that.

Many identified their following LP, 'Gates Of Winter' (2015), as a defining point for Thorr-Axe with its black metal influence bleeding through the thick wall of riffs.   On this split before us, they forge characteristics of heavy riffs and tribal drumming with fast tremolo guitar picking and bleak vocals, craftily landing again somewhere in the middle of doom and black metal.

Thorr-Axe / Archarus - The Hobbit Split by Thorr-Axe

It is practically impossible to pick just one track as a favorite, "Battle of Five Armies" being a prime example.   Barely two minutes into this eight-minute closer and there is an eruption of blackened fury that suits Thorr-Axe so well.   Intricate guitar melodies, fierce war-like rhythm and heavy riffs ensure this is epic song is one that you will make you want to listen to the whole damn thing all over again.  Hints of folk influence are to be found, too, not only in the aforementioned track, but also in "Whispers In the Dark" -- another that's sure to become a fan favorite.   This track grows into one large crescendo as Thorr-Axe fearlessly takes us into battle.

One thing to keep in mind while listening to the split is that it's not "based on" The Hobbit.   In a sense, this is The Hobbit. Both bands are telling the actual story.   Another obvious hint that this is not your traditional split is the how it was pieced together. Sure, many metal bands write songs based on fantasy elements.   However, Thorr-Axe and Archarus don't allow themselves to be limited in how they present the recording.   You'll notice the tracks play in an order that may seem random, but was surely intentional.   The approach from beginning to end is virtually flawless.   What started out as a personal project between friends became a fascinating record that metal fans all over the spectrum can appreciate and enjoy.   Tucker Thomasson recently told me he was very happy with the end result.   He better damn be.

Follow Archarus and Thorr-Axe and get the split LP here and here.

[doomedandstoned]

Unearthly Trance's Homecoming Is A Delirious, Reckless Fever Dream

By Zachary Painter

@zacharypainter4

Unearthly Trance’s ‘Stalking the Ghost’ (2017 - Relapse Records) feels like a walk in the dark, or more like a mesmerized promenade through sullen landscapes and bitter dreams.   It’s a maddening experience, and a great comeback for a once prolific band that disbanded after making such profound, haunting statements with their early output.

The New York-based trio’s sound has always been characterized by its tendency to lurch into unexpected territory, an idiosyncrasy that has won them comparisons to that of Venom, Celtic Frost, Minsk, Kongh, and Neurosis, among others.   Their 2003 debut Season of Seance, Science of Silence, for example, bore a fierce steeliness that emulated the frostbitten atmospheres of '90s black metal tempered with funeral doom tempos, and songs from their later work, like "Permanent Ice," "You Get What You Want," "The Dust Will Never Settle," and "Distant Roads Overgrown," veered off into death, black, and hardcore territory.   Needless to say, Unearthly Trance have never been purists.

Stalking The Ghost by Unearthly Trance

That brings us to ‘Stalking the Ghost’ (2017 - Relapse Records), an album that is narrower in scope and arguably more refined than the erratic approach of the band’s past.   Most of the songs are straightforward numbers with only a few surprises peppered throughout the mix, the cascading guitar passages layered by orchestral strings in "Scythe" or the emotive outro in "Famine" serving as prime examples.   Other tracks have simpler structures, like opener "Into the Spiral," which kicks off into a volleying groove that accelerates through the song, or "Dream State Arsenal," with its catchy, rhyme-oriented guitar and bass parts.   While it wouldn’t be fair to say that Ryan Lipynsky (guitar/vocals), Jay Newman (bass), and Darren Verni (drums/vocals) "played it safe" this time around, the record is noticeably safer --or less ambitious-- than any of the band’s previous releases.

The record’s main strength, which cannot be understated, lies in its uncanny ability to strike an eerie chord in the listener: the dismal moodiness of the album is compelling, causing one to peer inward.   Lipynsky’s chord choices and guitar textures ring with a dissonance that adds layers of dark color to the songs, and his command of phrasing in numbers like "Lion Strength" grip the listener, which is often what makes Unearthly Trance songs work.

While Stalking the Ghost probably won’t meet the expectations of fans hoping for Electrocution and The Trident era Unearthly Trance, there are true gems on this record that are worth hearing out.   The album, taken in its gestalt, is a hypnotic, dark work of art.