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WYNDRIDER – Revical – REVIEW

We are back with a second helping of Stoner Doom for the month of January. This time around, things are a little soft and calm with WyndRider at the helm.

WyndRider emerged from the Appalachian Mountain area of Tennessee in and released their debut self titled album in 2023. Their must be something in the water of the Bible Belt because this is some serious good ol’ Southern Doom.

This album lazily floats you along with deep, warm and fuzzy tones instantly gets your body moving. Vocalist Chloe Gould perfectly bluesy/soul/haunting vocals blend into the groove perfectly. As the tracks plod along you’ll feel if you can actually feel a smoky haze start to feel the room around you. WyndRyder do a great job of capturing that early Black Sabbath feeling in Metal; Occult rock with great grooves and plenty of dark atmosphere.

Listening to Revival you will instantly feel the Sabbath influenced riffs with an almost distinctive tone. Don’t let that discount the band as another simple Sabbath worship band. Gould’s warm and haunting vocals really add a bit of a swagger that helps WyndRyder over the pack.

Album #2 for WyndRyder is yet another step forward for the group.  With 2 strong releases in a relatively short time, WyndRyder is a band to watch.

 

 

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FIREBLOOD -Goatslayer – REVIEW

 

Fireblood are here with a grimy and slimy 4 track EP beat down. Goatslayer is actually the band’s second EP of 2024, following up Hellalujah earlier in the year.

Looking at the album art, you may expect to get hear some evil ass death metal or some ear spitting thrash. Instead you will find some pretty savage sludge and doom within. The band plays a style of self described, “Southern Fried Sludge.”

“A Perfect Place for Death,” starts out with thick riffs showcasing their sludgy style. The vocals are clean, no growls but are still harsh and brutal.

“Death Comes Rolling,” is one of the best named stoner tracks I have heard in a long time. The vocals are a little heavier in parts. The spoken parts are a little to mumble and grunge inspired for my personal taste but that’s just me. The grove on this track is enough for me to forgot about that.

“Burning Underground, ” is where the real Doom crawl begins. Slow, heavy and full of thick lead lined spoke, this track is Fireblood at their best.

Closing out the EP with the monster 7 minute “A.I.G.O.D,” FireBlood are able to maintain a long grove that will be to be a hit with fans of the genre.

 

 

 

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ANTISEPTIC – Wash or Die – REVIEW

 

Grindcore has never been known for its…err..cleanliness. That was before the fellows from Antiseptic came along with a simple message to the kids in the pit: “Wash your hands, wear deodorant and take a shower at least once a day.”

Based on the concept and song titles alone, I knew this was gonna be a fun spin. With clever titles such as, “Feasting on Bathsalts,” “From Dust til Dawn, ” and “Where the Germs Live,” Anitseptic deliver plenty of rapid fired humor and heaviness.

Musically, Antiseptic deliver some pretty standard Grindcore with heavily distorted guitars, inhuman, monstrous vocals and savage beats usually delivered in short less than 20 second bursts. Thankfully Antiseptic was kind enough to add in plenty of grooves on this recording to break up the audio assault.Interestingly, the closing track, “De Mysteriis Dom Sanitize,” clocks in at just over 3 minutes. As the name implies, Antiseptic perform there version of the classic Mayhem track.

Make sure to stay until the very end for a very special message from a very special guest.

 

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Faster than the Devil 3 – Review

 

Here we go again!

Wise Blood’s Faster than the Devil compilation series, started in 2022, has quickly become one of my favorite album releases to look forward to each and every year. Sure 2025 looks nutty but at least we will get Faster than the Devil IV! 

Remember the legendary Metal Blade’s Metal Massacre compilation series that introduced the world to some of the biggest names in Thash such as Slayer and Metallia something or other. That’s exactly what’s happening in this series. So if you’ve always wanted to be into a band before they got big, you’re looking for something fresh and cool or if you’ve been wondering if the new kids can still Thrash, this comp is for you.

The 4 bands included this time around are Bloodletter (Chicago), Ninth Realm (Maryland), Acid Mass (Cincinnati) and Grozov (Philadelphia.) Each band provided 3 tracks of brain melding thrash metal that runs the gambit of the genre.

Faster than the Devil 3 has it all. Old school early 80’s traditional thrash, nasty black metal and crust and some more light hearted (but still awesome) tracks.

Grozov’s closing track, “Bitchin’ Leather,” is a fun bop to listen to as I wait for the announcement  of Faster than the Devil IV. 

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A LA CARTE – Born to Entertain – REVIEW

 

I’m not a big turkey guy when it comes to Thanksgiving. Sure, I’ll savory some on the day but for me the real stars of the meal are the abundant offering of side dishes available. Among my favorites are mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and cranberry sauce (but only if it retains its traditional dog food can shape.)

If A La Carte’s new album is any indication, I will be trying a few new sides this year. “Ashtray Souffle,” “Chamber Pot Pie,” and “Maxi Pad Thai,” are just a few of the scrumptious options available on their latest release, Born to Entertain. 

A La Carte out of Lima, Ohio accurately describes itself as “Brutal gruesome food porn with a beat.” Beyond the humorous gimmick is an incredible band that has already upped their game from their debut album, Soup Dejour. Opening with the title track, A La Carte waste no time with thunderous beats, devilish dual vocals, some killer riffs.

The sound bites are the perfect palate cleanser as you move on to the next dish (or track). While the song titles and lyrics are goofy and fun don’t let that cause you to sleep on the band’s incredible musicianship as the songs are incredibly technical and savage. The dual vocals really up the game from their previous release. “Chamber Pot Pie “is one of the best offerings from this meal.

There are also plenty of good ol’ monster and caveman riffs to keep even the most jaded Death Metal fans happy. These cannibalistic cooks certainly know their way around a recording studio just as well as they know their way around a kitchen. Born to Entertain does just that and you will find yourself going back for seconds (and thirds).

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MORGUE TERROR – Violent and Murderous Thoughts – Review

 

Fuck this holiday shit. Let’s get Nasty. Morgue Teror is back with again with their second EP of 2024, Violent and Murderous Thoughts. The band, fitting from Buffalo New York, with their down and dirty, murky as fuck old school Death Metal are here to chase away any of those pesky Xmas Carols or Karens.

From the moment the needle drops on this EP, you are punched square in the jaw and kicked in the bread basket for good measure. The addition of drummer Dustin Klimek (ex Full of Hell) Morgue Terror is already showing significant growth since their debut EP earlier this year. Klimek’s aggressive assault adds plenty of power to an already violent sound.

The vocals are super guttural and savage. I can’t understand a thing he’s going on about. He could be singing about his recent trip to the grocery store for all I care. The album tracks are mostly about murders committed by serial killers and other tales to tell your children before sending them off to bed.

While this EP is filled with plenty of break neck brutality there are plenty of groove elements as well. “Poisonous Prayer,” starts out with funky filling bass line before settling into some nice infectious and nasty grooves.

Morgue Terror has shown some impressive growth from their last EP which was just released earlier this year. With their uncompromising brutality of classic Death Metal that is raw and nasty with a touch of more modern production.

Turn this one up!

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RESTLESS DREAMS – Review

 

I freakin’ love Graveripper. Loud, fast and filthy they are totally my jam. Corey Park is the vocalist, guitarist and one of the main writers for Graveripper, and his latest offering, Restless Dreams is another banger but for completely different reasons.

Parks created an eerie soundscape with his Restless Dreams project that is heavily influenced by the survival horror video game series, Silent Hill. Having never played a game in the series, I can’t compare the album to the game but I can totally feel the uneasiness, wonder, and terror tensions in the music.

Unlike other ambient albums, Ward goes for more of an industrial approach, leaning into much more of a video game feel. The opening track sounds exactly like what one would hear as they load the title screen and begin their epic adventure.  Whereas, the closing track sounds like something that would play over the closing credits.

Again, I’m not sure how well the songs aline with the source material, I can confidently say even without any of that knowledge, I enjoy the hell out of this release.

Now I’m going to hunt down a cheap copy of Silent Hill.

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Slayer at Riot Fest

The last time I wrote a live show review it was for Slayer during their farewell tour. It seems only fitting that my next review would be Slayer’s return to stage a few years later.

When the Slayer reunion shows news broke I, like most of you, was a surprised to see some reunion shows pop up. I’m a big fan of Riot Fest and hearing that NOFX would play as part of their farewell tour, the ticket was an easy sell.

Slayer returned to Main stage on the last evening of the festival alongside acts NOFX (their 3rd and final performance of the weekend) and Sublime playing on the other stages. Rain had plagued the sets earlier in the day and seemed to return as Slayer was about to perform. Many fans were hoping for a downpour so that Slayer would truly “Reign in Blood.” Fortunate enough for us we didn’t get the downpour fans were hoping for and the rain remained light.

Before Slayer returned to the stage they showed a little video. It was fun at first as it really geared up people’s excitement. Then it continued.

And continued.

The wait for Slayer was intense as we were now watching what seemed like a VHI Behind The Music episode. After what seemed like an eternity, the curtain dropped and there was FUCKIN” SLAYER! Starting out with “South of Heaven,” they continued their much missed musical assault with, “Reborn,” and continued with hits from their entire catalog.

The set used plenty of pyro including two burning upside down crosses on each side of the stage. Upping their stagehow theatrics, the band had neon looking red “rain drops ” that fell on the stage during “Reign in Blood,”

Singer Tom Araya who’s never been known to take much time address the audience said after the first few songs,”So did you miss us?” As the crowd erupted in cheers and shouts of “SLAYER!” Tom smiled and said, “We missed you too,”

The performance was tight as hell. Kerry King and Gary Holt havent missed a thing. Seeing two of my favorite Slayer songs, “Jihad,” and “Seasons in the Abyss,” played back to back was nothing short of incredible. This along with a rare performance of “213” made an incredible show.

I’m not sure how many more shows Slayer has planned in their future but if you get the chance to see them again don’t miss it. Sometimes you don’t realize how much you miss something until it’s gone.

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VEXING HEX – Solve Et Coagula

 

They told me it would never happen. Hell. I was firmly convinced that they were correct.

But..

My blackened little thrasher heart loved this album. I smiled as I jammed to an album with no growls, no pig squeals or corpse painted frontmen spitting blood. (There could still be time for this one though.) Sure the music is softer than my normal listening but this album is just too damn fun.

While the album cover may not look out of place in the Death Metal section, Vexing Hex play an Occult/Stoner/Groove style that stays in the ear long after the album has finished. With some awesome harmonies, catchy riffs and just the right amount of darkness, this is the perfect record to listen to as summer winds down.

“One Thousand Eyes,” is super punchy and makes great use of some added synths to make the track a little more trippy. When “Vviccaphobia,” sounds like it could have come from Ghost or an undiscovered underground 70’s occult band.

With their fuzzy tones, warm vocals and occult worship, Solve Et Coagula is worth checking out even if every T-shirt you own is black, beer stained and bears an unreadable band logo. You want lost your Kvlt points.

Well, probably not.

 

 

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THE ABSENCE – Self Titled – REVIEW

In a world with a million bands releasing millions of records, I’m bound to miss a few bands here and there. Case in point, The Absence. Their newest self titled release is their 6th album to date and the first time I’ve heard them. Looks like I have some homework to do. With their American meets Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal  blend this is a killer listen from start to finish.

6 albums in, The Absence seem to have a clear cut idea on what does and dosen’t work. The tracks are tight and clear, generally ranging into the 3 to 4 minute range.  There is plenty of headbanging riffs, grooves and even some vocal hooks that keep the album moving

“The Silent Eye,” is a Melodic banger and the perfect track single track to attract new listeners. (Hell, it totally worked on me.) Plenty of killer riffs and grooves continue to melt your face with “Vagrant Death.” The Absence does give you a moment to pick your brain droppings off the floor with the mid album instrumental. ” Surface of a Dead World.”

After the brief calm, The Absence kick the heaviness up with “Grieving Winds,” including angrier riffs and vocals. It’s a less melodic more pounding approach and I am here for it.

With some incredible clear production, plenty of amazing riffs and grooves while still managing to keep the brutality, The Absence new album is a banger.

Now if you’ll excuse me while I’ll stage dive head first into their discography.