Wolftooth “Wolftooth” Album Review + Stream…

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Wolftooth

Wolftooth – Vinyl // CD // DD

Physical CD available on March 5th, 2018 on Blackseed Records

Limited & Standard 180gr Vinyl available April 20th, 2018 through Cursed Tongue Records

Reviewed by Eric Layhe

 

Tracklist:
Blackbirds Call (5:41)
Aegaeon (5:16)
Sword of my Father (3:55)
White Mountain (4:31)
Frost Lord (4:18)
The Huntress (6:06)
Forged in Fire (6:14)
Season of the Witch (6:07)

 

 

Review:
Stoner Metal has a very storied history. Debatably beginning with Black Sabbath and Hawkwind and surviving through Monster Magnet, the bandcamp era has created something of a golden era of Stoner Metal and one of the beneficiaries of this golden age is Indiana’s Wolftooth.

Wolftooth is a classic Stoner Metal band through and through, albeit one with a little extra heft added for good taste. Their self-titled album is chock-full of great riffs and much better vocals than the genre usually calls for and even features a few twists and turns as well – album opener “Blackbirds Call” opens with an atmospheric intro that is almost symphonic in nature. “Sword of my Father” is (fittingly) extremely reminiscent of the Apocryphon-era of The Sword, with Kentucky-fried grooves and lots of southern twang. Through its raw production, Wolftooth’s “Self-titled” album does a great job of emulating a live show. If you close your eyes, you can almost imagine that Wolftooth is right there playing for you.

Band Pic

It’s not a perfect album, though. In terms of the genre of Stoner Metal, Wolftooth doesn’t bring a whole lot of new material to the table. If you’re a member of the fairly sizable group that feels as though Stoner Metal is a tad tired and needs a major mix-up in order to be truly rejuvenated, then you probably won’t find a whole lot to enjoy here. It really is a faithful recreation of the genre and therefore won’t be much of a treat if you’re not a fan of that particular style.

With their self-titled album, Wolftooth has created a very faithful recreation of Stoner Rock with a modern edge. Fans of the genre will love it, whereas those that aren’t simply won’t. While it really is as simple as that, I cannot emphasize how good of a job Wolftooth has done. If you enjoy Stoner Metal, I absolutely recommend you check out this excellent release.

Additional Links:
http://cursedtonguerecords.bigcartel.com/

https://www.facebook.com/wolftoothmetal/?ref=br_rs

Sumokem “The Guardian of Yosemite” Album Review + Stream + Vinyl Release…

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Sumokem

The Guardian of Yosemite – CD // DD (released October 6, 2017)

Cursed Tongue Records – Limited Vinyl (100) // TP Edition Vinyl w/ 7″ (20)

// Jet Black Vinyl (200)

Reviewed by Eric Layhe

 

 

Tracklist:
Attack of the Mammoth (7:52)
Warning (6:44)
War Pipe / Rite of the Calumet (7:38)
Ogama (8:43)
Tisayac (9:34)
Mescalito/Meeting of the Half Moon (7:02)
Nantucket (10:05)
Emerald [digital-only bonus track] (4:05)

Band Members:
Present:
Jacob Sawrie – Vox/Rhythm
Drew Skarda – Percussion
Tyler Weaver – Lead
Dustin Weddle – Bass

Past:
Josh Ingram (RIP) – Lead
Alan Wells – Bass

 

 

To say the least, 2017 has been a huge year for heavy music. The year has granted us several new releases, most notably Mastodon’s Emperor of Sand. However, the music world often functions like archaeology – The deeper you dig, the more treasures you will find such as the gargantuan slab of Doom that is Sumokem’s “The Guardian of Yosemite”.

When I say gargantuan, I mean it. Each tune on this release is not only long, but feels like it has been custom-tailored to be as gigantic as possible, from the performance to the production to the composition. Every riff hits like a Warhammer to the temple and it wouldn’t feel right any other way. Each member is extremely in tune with one another and they really feel like a single living and breathing organism.

Sumokem’s Special Vinyl Release Date – Friday, January 12th, 2018

Limited Red_Gold_Wax_100

http://cursedtonguerecords.bigcartel.com/product/sumokem-the-guardian-of-yosemite-2lp-ltd-blood-gold-edition

Special credit, though, goes to their lead guitarist. Every member is excellent at their instrument, but the guitar goes above and beyond to ensure that each and every solo is searing and quick, keeping the listener’s attention while still progressing the song further and further down into heavier and heavier territory as the album goes on.

It’s unbelievable just how heavy this album can be. It opens like a freight train, but by the time the epic-length dirge and album high point “Nantucket” begins, you can only be floored by how well Sumokem brings music back to its primordial roots. There is no feeling greater than finding a band that is both classic and novel – one that both pushes the boundaries of music while reminding us why we love it in the first place, and with its ultra-heavy prehistoric jams, Sumokem’s “The Guardian of Yosemite” has given us just that.

Band Pic

Green Yeti “Desert Snow” – Album Review & Stream…

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Green Yeti

Desert Show – Vinyl // DD

Cursed Tongue Records – released: April 21, 2017

Reviewed by Santiago “Chags” Gutierrez

 

What does the name Green Yeti conjure up in your mind? Possibly a rampaging stoned out abominable snowman rampaging along the Himalayan mountainside? That is what came to mind when I first heard the name. Green Yeti is, in reality, a very competent three-piece stoner band from Athens, Greece – stoner green and as heavy as that famous fictitious beast wreaking havoc in the snow. Desert Show is the bands second release and admittedly, this is my first exposure to the sludgy, psyched out sounds this band creates. The band features members from Brotherhood of Sleep, Reversed Nature, and Stonenrow and consists of Dani Avramidis on bass, Mike Andresakis on guitar and vocals, and Giannis Koutroubis on drums.

Band Pic

Desert Show consists of five tracks, but it is far from an EP due to some lengthy, yet intriguing song structures. The album opens up with “Black Planets part 1” and “Black Planets part 2”. Musically these tracks are varied enough to constitute a separation of tracks, yet lyrically, they follow a similar theme. The album closes out with “Bad Sleep part 1” and “Bad Sleep part 2” which follows a similar set up to “Black Planets”. “Black Planets (part one)” is a great way to open the record. It’s hard driving stoner rock with a style that makes you take notice and sets them just that much apart from others who frequent that genre. What additionally stands out are the lyrics. There is something more substantial going on here. They seem to tell a story, yet are still open to interpretation. Which brings me to “Rojo”. Sung entirely in Spanish, this track reads like a poem. The chorus of “vuelve a la vida y matame junto al mar” simply strikes a chord. Musically it ebbs and flows much like a poem. Guitar and bass complementing each other throughout.

Green Yeti play a blend of stoner rock that is all their own, and in this saturated age of the genre, they are discernibly a welcomed addition. They have crafted an album that keeps your attention with subtle nuances and extended riffs that guide you along the journey while lyrically keeping things interesting. Don’t let that album cover fool you, this isn’t quite your typical stoner rock record, so dive in and enjoy.

Cursed Tonue_Vinyl Promo