Band: Bleed This Earth Album: The Slow Decline Year: 2022
Its’ not every day you hear of a Funeral Doom Metal band from Aotearoa (New Zealand) however the trio of Megalithic proportions “Bleed This Earth” have truly captured the true essence of the genre.
Four Tracks weighing in at 42 minutes long tumbles and buries any life left in this dark expression of loneliness.
The title track “The Slow Decline” ticks the boxes of a scene that is set in barren, stripped back Post-Apocalyptic battle, where man struggles for life on a plain of decomposed land.
Burnt trees and Black mud fills the ears of the listener on the eleven-minute epic “When” un-strangely reminiscent of early ‘My Dying Bride’, as the vultures trot slowly through the field of dead, looking for the last piece of flesh left on the recently risen worms from the depths.
The slowly paced double kick drum moments, complimented by drum rolls and long drawn power chords from the guitars, keeps the ears alert whilst the vocals narrate a blunt command without exhaustion.
Probably one of the best extreme releases come out of NZ for quite a while.
For fans of Samothrace, Pallbearer & My Dying Bride
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)
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
Like a bull at the gate “We Conquer The Throne” commences and as the chainsaw guitars blast the listener into a battlefield of blood and glory, the lead break opens up the song for the brutal roars of Christopher Saterdal.
The album is an onslaught of death and thrash riffs (Fantastic Rhythm work by Johan). The solid use of black metal tremolo picking and sporadic rocking solo work (Eki) along with the climatic reaches of thundering break downs; open up many avenues for the killer lead breaks that find their way in to complete most tracks on this rocking Death Metal classic.
Fallen Mountain is possessed by an array of grim and grooving melodies. The progression in each verse makes its way to the bridge before the double kick drums coupled with the ancient folk melody allows a chant by Christopher once again (Their signature triumphant chorus works amazing in this track). Understandably so, this slow-paced Symphony in Death is a tribute to the Entombed legend L G Petrov “The Fallen Mountain”.
Thumping consistent kick drums (Thanks to Ronnie Bergerstal) keep their pace and the organic feel of the kit are of utmost importance in an underground metal sense.
And without sounding like they’ve put the kit through a dishwasher, the levels the guitars and vocals sit at, could not have been more perfect allowing all elements of the tracks to shine on their own at every relevant moment.
Lifeslave is their chunky mid-paced Mosh Pit stirring riot starting death machine.
Martin Schulman (Band Leader) slams out Power Chords on his bass, and as the darkness of the slow bridge melody, and the gang roars that make their way to the surface. The careful composition placement allows these warriors of metal to climb out of the mud to bear a flag of glory and honour, waving and chanting metal war crys – Imagine an outdoor euro style metal festival where its pissing down with rain and the true metal maniacs are covered in mud and beer as they mosh in an uncontained pit of rain water, sludge, piss, beer, sweat and blood.
This is old school Swedish death metal at its purest. The production is clear, real and officially Swedish.
Karl Daniel Liden is responsible for the Mixing and Mastering of this classic album that will find its way on many top 10 lists for 2022 – I can guarantee you that.
This is their best album to date and It has everything.
Old school Death Metal brutality, Triumphant Folk Melodies with a ruthless stretch of Swedish Groove!
When I first saw the news break from The Cults’ Camp about a new single being released, I thought, has it really been that long since their third album “Everybodys Going To Die” quickly realising that release was late 2019 and God Damn am I amongst many other ready for more.
So with everything going on (Over the past 24 months) it is no secret that Art and Music got most of us through one of the most intense changes to our life we could have ever imagined, creating catalysts for change and appreciation for Love, Hope and Nature.
The Brothers and Sisters of the Church have once again blown my mind with a new magnificent collection of compositions that tell a story of spreading Love over Fear, Freedom over Tyranny and Peace over Aggression.
Our first access to the album is the entrancing weapon of choice the band has entitled “One More Step” which clearly has an enhanced Mind Control Technique of repetition (without the use of MK Ultra).
It’s deep, it’s Occultic, it’s rhetorical and it’s definitely got a different vibe from the previous initial singles released to help promote the albums.
“Valleys and Hills Part One – Peel Away the Layers” stood out as one of their most adventurous tracks. With a retro rumbling bass rhythm in-sync with the drums keeping the direction steady as the duel “Flangering” guitars create layers of vibrations before the repetitive lyrics of “Peel away the layers, like the layers of the Onion”. It’s a stern reminder that this seven-piece beauty is not afraid to take on the twists and turns Rock n Roll begs for in a time where we have people literally worshipping the likes of Foo Fighters or whatever other “Safe Rock” is making it to the ears of a culture that has been slowly degrading for quite a while.
“Valleys and Hills Part Two – Pure Illumination” had a late 70’s Sabbath song writing style taking me back to Albums like “Technical Ecstasy” and “Never Say Die”, which are both under-rated Sabbath albums that are constantly overlooked while people debate about Ozzy VS Dio in Sabbath (Just don’t go there hey!). I wish I had access to the lyrics for all songs but the one line that resonates with me and anyone else who is never settled with whatever Truth we are ‘Fed’ is ‘The truth so bright it’s going to blow your mind’.
The keys and vocal harmonies on “Now’s the Time” is something you want to show your parents in an attempt to re-educate their Mind and Soul (with new music) while they play you an Elton John song for the Three Hundred and Thirty Third Time.
The track reminds me of the works husband and wife duo “Dream Machine” who have a strong focus on Classical Style Piano (Blended with tripped out 70’s Acid Psych Rock) painting us an illusion that the band has somewhat matured before pulling out an ancient Irish-like Folk Melody, meanwhile preaching “No Time like Tonight”.
Don’t kill me but it even had a Bee Gee moment there.
Thank you Brothers and Sisters. May your year ahead be full of success and love while you spread the word of ‘The Church’ on stages across the globe.
Stand Out Track: We Lost It Somewhere
For Fans of Electric Light Orchestra, The Eagles, Queen and Black Sabbath
