Anthony

Artist: THRALL

Release: Schisms

Year: 2022

Beyond the pale grimness of Melbourne, Victoria lies the new album by the crushing Blackened Doom Metal group ‘THRALL’.

The album displays a whirlpool of filth, destruction, decomposition and chaos under the guise of Black, Doom and Post Metal.

Toms commanding and raspy choking vocals were highly impressive to me and above all that I could hear on this dissonant soundtrack to the apocalypse, I felt his vocals stood out as the guiding force on this stellar album!

Every track was absolutely punishing brilliant however I felt the tracks explained below highlighted the genius work THRALL have been able to put together on this fourth display of black metal vehemence and blasphemy.

“Hollow” was a straight up blast fest and although you can hear some huge ‘Mayhem’ influence; the calm sections of Bass, Drums and Guitars find their way in to create a creepy realm on the side of the madness that THRALL pulls, throughout the rest of this brutal spewfest Tom chants above and over.

“Nihil” brings us a classic guitar solo outta left-field that I didn’t expect and damn its hot – definitely reminiscent of some ‘shining’ (From Sweden)!

“Abyss” begins with a dissonant melodic grimness similar to something you’d hear from ‘Naglfar’ before Toms vomits forth his emotions and then the real chaos begins with all instruments of death, each time returning to the intro riff and finally the bass twang making its way to the forefront.

The blast beats met with the drum rolls on “Epoch” were outstanding and the groove of the guitar riff definitely spun me out as this album drove itself in another direction I didn’t expect and assisted in paying homage to the folk elements that Black Metal sometimes loses – Considering the Norwegians started this ravishing genre that stood against the grain of mainstream politics and agendas.

“Dust” closes out the album with a gradual build of tremolo picking, until a seismic onslaught of riffs pound you in the face before hitting a soft calm section of lead melodies and then again slicing you apart with Toms Cut-throat vocals over Satyricon-esque riffs. “Dust” a perfect seven-minute storm to complete the album!

For Fans of Mayhem, Chapel of Disease and Satyricon.

Mixed by Richard McMaster (Impure Sounds)

Mastered by Jack Control (Enormous Door)

Released soon via IMPURE SOUNDS (AUS) / BRILLIANT EMPEROR RECORDS (AUS)

Artist: Frozen Planet 1969

Album: Not from 1969

Year: 2022

In Late 2012, the trio got together for a jam in Sydney not knowing an unstoppable force of Psychedelic worship would amount to 10 albums worth of tripped-out, spaced-life and meta-physical journeys under the guise of Frozen Planet 1969. 

In 2022, Frank, Paul and Lachlan bring you “Not from 1969”, just to make it clear to the listener that Psych Rock in this day and age is thriving – better than it ever has in the last fifty years! 

With three songs coming in at 45 minutes long, FP1969 venture into unknown passage ways of music and global cultural influences on this monolithic masterpiece, jammed and recorded in the blistering hot studio based in far Western Sydney, Frank Street Studio (AKA Pepper Shaker Records Headquarters’).

Diamond Dust begins with a cross-over of Spanish Flamenco and Eastern European guitar wizardry before the rhythm section takes grounding to the wild space journey that Paul does not give up on, as he rides the wave of stars in the sky whilst stomping on the pedal board to send the guitar into unearthly directions

Strangelands is a fuzzy jam of jovial proportions and experimental value.

This track particularly shines bright on the technical side of Franks progressive percussive nature and his work with Lachlan on this seven stretch, is completed by a funky riff that an oldie would call “A pretty cool Bass Noodle” yet its as if Lachlan makes his four string finger puppet talk (In what language, I don’t know).

Dissolver is twenty-seven minutes long, so roll one, light it up and get the munchies ready.

I gotta say this track had some beautiful organic production.

The way all instruments are exposed so tastefully with clarity and rawness is something a lot of local rockers in general could use some help with.

That element of live sound and capturing that raw essence of Rock n Roll is seriously such an important thing that can make or break a band (In my Opinion).

Lachlans psychotic noodling at the sixteen minute mark is fierce as is Franks thumping tantrum on his kit; and as they keep up this chaos like ants bursting out of their nests, there is a calm order that arrives at the end as Lachlan bends his notes and the delays of Pauls Guitar give in to the closure of an insane bloody album!

For Fans of Comacozer, Electric Octopus & Electric Moon

Out now via Pepper Shaker Records