Nihilosaur “Hymn & Ruin” Album Review + Stream…

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NIHILOSAUR

Hymn & Ruin – Digital Download

Independent – Released July 1, 2017

Reviewed by Mike Hackenschmidt

 

Line Up:
Florian Analfox / Voices, Bass
Felix Geniusfix / Guitars, Samples
Tiwo Meiz / Drums

Review:

From the nether regions of Poland, Nihilosaur return with their 3rd full length album entitled “Hymn & Ruin”. Nihilosaur has a unique sound. I don’t feel that music needs to be categorized but it’s a lot easier to describe a band by their genre. Usually when I don’t know how to classify a band I’ll hit the net and check the usual places. Wikipedia is my go to but Wikipedia never heard of Nihilosaur. My next stop is Encyclopedia Metallum who list Nihilosaur as “Death Metal / Hardcore”. Even the shortest of listens leads me to believe that what they actually meant when they said “Death Metal / Hardcore” was “we don’t know”. Off to Nihilosaur’s Facebook page where they list their Genre as “Hymn and Ruin”…. That’s not a fucking genre. That’s the album title. I assume what they mean when they say their genre is “Hymn and Ruin” is “We don’t care”. I don’t think we can lump them into any category.

With that in mind, I think the best way to describe Nihilosaur’s sound is by conjuring up an image in your mind of the Nihilosaur itself. What would that be? First, the Nihilosaur is ancient & long dead but reanimated, presumably by some toxic waste and a few shots of lightning though no one knows for sure. Some of the Nihilosaur’s flesh was preserved in the tar pits from whence it came while some places the flesh is rotten, even decomposed to the bone. Its movements are slow. Despite having emerged from the pits a decade ago, tar is stuck to the Nihilosaur’s exterior. Flowing like molasses off its body with each movement, despite leaving a trail behind there seems to be no end to the muck. Nihilosaur is large, carnivorous and hungry – but not evil. No. Nihilosaur will devour you with indifference; not malevolence. He’s also horny as fuck.

Let’s see if we can complete the metaphor as we tour through the album. Starting with the cover, the analogy breaks down but let’s ignore that for just a minute. We’ve got a comic book style cover with an upright elephant with multiple arms, its trunk rammed into its gut. I guess it’s eating itself? I’m not really sure. The lettering of the band name looks eerily familiar and I’ll kick myself when I figure out where it’s from. Hopefully you’re reading this and yelling it at your screen, maybe I’ll hear you. Anyway, I have no clue on the significance of the elephant. Maybe it’s some sort of Nihilist symbolism though that’s a complete nonsense thought.

The album opens with a track called “No, No, No”. The heavily distorted guitars start the number, giving us a clue as to what comes next. The drums and bass of join the fray filling out a thick doom sound. Slow, melodic, distorted voices start creating eerie, ancient doom. They soon give way to death voices but quickly return to eerie again. Unfortunately none of the voices are discernible so I have no idea what this song is about. I agreed to review this album based on the band name alone (it’s so clever!!) and was hoping to hear what these guys have to say. The incomprehensible voices are a theme throughout the album. In fact the voices are turned down so they don’t stand out but rather blend in with the music. I suppose this is why the band calls them voices as opposed to vocals. It does suit the sound.

Moving on track to track, we have an atmosphere of thick goo. Imagine your lungs filling with tar. How they achieve such density with a 3 piece is beyond me. I would guess it has something to do with the heavy distortion and the blending of the voices which throughout the album go from eerie to death vocals to deep chants to low rumblings to screams.

Bimp Picture

Song titles like “A Kiss is the Beginning of Cannibalism” and “A Bag of Bones” tell me the Nihilosaur is hungry…or perhaps he was. After all, it’s not a bag of drumsticks, it’s “A Bag of Bones”. Song titles like “Night is My Nudity” and “What Are You Doing After the Orgy?” tell me he’s horny… but then again, if “A Kiss is the Beginning of Cannibalism” then he’s probably planning on working up an appetite during the orgy. Don’t go anywhere alone with the Nihilosaur unless you want to be dinner.

The album closes out with a track called “Reptile Parthenogenesis”. If you’re not aware, parthenogenesis is when an animal impregnates itself. Get ready for there to be many little Nihilosaurs running around having orgies and devouring whatever’s in their path. (Edit note: after writing this paragraph and submitting this review, I woke up in the middle of the night and realized what the elephant is doing to itself on the album cover… a little parthenogenesis action!!!).

Seriously though, it’s hard to take a band seriously when their members have names like Analfox and Geniusfix. I have to assume that they don’t take themselves too seriously either. That’s a trait I think is very admirable in music and musicians. It’s supposed to be fun. Grab a copy of Hymn and Ruin, give it a listen and have a good time.

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MARS RED SKY To Release Very Limited 12″ ‘Myramyd’ In June

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The French psychedelic sonicnauts in Mars Red Sky will release a very limited edition 12″ EP titled ‘Myramyd‘ on June 17th. This brand new track was recorded and mixed live on analog tape at La Nef venue in Angoulême, France. Limited to 500 copies, 200 of them will be numbered and come as a special “Hellfest Edition” bundle, including a unique silkscreen created by French design team Arrache Toi Un Oeil, a totebag and other goodies.

The artwork and layout for ‘Myramyd‘ were designed by Carlos Olmo. Pre-orders for this must-have collectible are open now at this location.

– Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker

UFOMAMMUT Premieres ‘Warsheep’ Official Video

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Italian heavy psychedelic band UFOMAMMUT recently announced the imminence of their next studio effort 8 and that it will be released via Neurot Recordings on September 22nd. In anticipation of the event, the guys are issuing a new official video for the track “Warsheep“ today. That’s it above but things don’t end there as UFOMAMMUT is offering “Warsheep” as a limited edition 7″. It is available in a small run of 500 pieces, each with the cover handprinted with gold iridescent and red inks on pearlescent paper by Malleus. The 7″ record shall be released via Supernatural Cat on 15th June but pre-orders are available now here.

Preorder information and more for 8 will be revealed over the upcoming months.

UFO Warsheep
– Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker

MOTHERSLOTH “Moon Omen” Album Review & Stream…

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MOTHERSLOTH

Moon Omen – CD // DD

Argonauta Records – Released March 3, 2017

Reviewed by Ric “Suisyko” Dorr

Formed in 2008, based out of Madrid Spain, this is the third release from MOTHERSLOTH and first released through Italian label Argonauta Records. They described themselves as doom/stoner/sludge metal, but there is a precision to the songs offered here that these tags become useless and unnecessary. Sure, lots of open chords, ultra-distorted bass lines and pounding hammers of doom on each drum head in proximity, but that tech-prowess again belies that there are no limits to what these three are able to create. Listing members as Oscar / drums, Moline / bass guitar and Daniel / vox and guitars, they started playing gigs live in 2010 before their first release in 2012 “Hazy Blur Of Life”, followed up in 2014 with “Moribund Star” and endless shows and appearances followed. Tons of positive reviews and comments filled the air with everyone that witnessed these guys in action and this released has been greatly anticipated since.

‘Shadow Witch’ hits hard from the first second with all the punch you could expect and then at exactly 40 seconds in, we are greeted with softer, clean notes and Daniel in a whisper voice speaking of “nothingness”, and then the dark-heavy looms right back in as the opener lets us know trying to label them is a waste as so many genre’s swirl effortlessly together to be all and none specific at the same time. ‘Once Human’ sweeps directly out of the signal-chirp at the end and lumbers forward, maintaining that staggered pacing that allows Oscar to show his chops from beginning to end and Moline flows in perfect symmetry, keeping the deep and dark bottom end pummeling in presence.

 

Pro Band Pic

 

“Lost souls wander the dark and desolate forest…” is how ‘The Firemill’ enters the room and “bloodlust” is the tone of this seven minute plus crusher that has Daniel’s soaring vocal hitting heights he had not ventured to with a clarity that shows growth in the lapse of time since the last release. The haunting tones of the solo section towards the end echo, the feel of the song is the perfect ‘cherry on top’ for this track.

‘Doomsday Cyborg’ is the one that the hardcore stoner/sludge junkies will gravitate towards with it’s 2/4 core time sig and enough feedback loops hand fed in ‘sugar-cubes’ of phase shifted delight to cause a flashback… or three, all the way to the slow fade out. ‘Wish For Dawn’ begins with a slower back beat and a cleaner guitar progression as a not-distorted bass line allows for the power chords to rip through and set up Daniel’s vocal perfectly. Another searing solo section during the last half will melt your face off and leave you wanting it to go on and on… and on. The harmonic fade out at the end then gives a chill across your flesh.

 

Title track, and personal favorite from this one, ‘Moon Omen’ begins with the sounds of the forest, complete with an echoing whisper traversing the wind blowing from all directions, and then the body is set by a lone guitar screaming in lucid softness. At 3:20, the sky breaks as the fury hits hard with all three members for thirty seconds; back to ethereal guitar progression, alone once more… until joined by the richest lingering notes that force eyes and ears up high to see the glory eminating forth. Moline gets to take the last portion of the song as he steps forth with the body and melody as Oscar busts out some jazz fills that make this section even better than it could have been as Daniel’s 6-string mastery shines as the edge of the final second.

Front to back, the most cohesive collection put forth from this band yet, well worth the wait and another must-have for 2017.  Get it like, yesterday, SEE & support them if you get the chance and keep it LOUD!!

 

Band Logo

DRUG HONKEY Debut ‘Sickening Wastoid’ Official Video

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Narcotic-like noise mongers Drug Honkey are preparing to unleash their new offering, ‘Cloak Of Skies‘, via Transcending Obscurity on May 5th. The pre-release hype for the punishing delivery of sonic abuse is reaching a fevered pitch of late. The album, which features guest appearances by the godfather of bleakness, Justin Broadrick and saxophonist most sinister, Bruce Lamont, is the baddest of trips seemingly. With crushing despair and abundant psychedelic savagery , Drug Honkey are poised to scar lives forever.

Today, Drug Honkey are serving up their video for the song ‘Sickening Wastoid‘, which is its very own frightening hallucination thanks to the twisted mind of Paolo Girardi. The morphing, animated album art from ‘Cloak Of Skies‘ appears alive and threateningly menacingly in the clip. Prepare to experience something you cannot un-see once you have your third eye opened to this vile visualizer.

For my own take on Drug Honkey‘s ‘Cloak Of Skies‘, check out my review of it over at Riff Relevant.

– Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker

Drug-Honkey-LP

VOKONIS Stream Title Track Of Upcoming ‘The Sunken Djinn’ Record; Album Details

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Swedish psyche/doom trio Vokonis are sharing a stream of the title track from their upcoming Ripple Music release, ‘The Sunken Djinn‘ today. The band, guitarist/vocalist Simon Ohlsson, drummer Emil Larsson and bassist Jonte Johansson, will release the new album on June 9th. The eagerly anticipated new effort is the follow-up to last year’s critically acclaimed Olde Ones Ascending and today’s song share provides ample reason to fuel clamoring for the new record.

As the press release puts it: “Following countless appearances in the underground’s essential heavy directory The Doom Charts and frequent “Next Big Thing” mentions in end of year lists, Vokonis’ The Sunken Djinn will undoubtedly mark the arrival of Sweden’s next great hard rock and heavy metal export.”

A vinyl 7″ of today’s Single, ‘The Sunken Djinn’ (top image), will be released on May 13th from Ripple Music and the full-length album itself on June 9th.

The Taste Nation LLC review of ‘The Sunken Djinn‘ is coming to the site soon.

– Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker

Tracklist:

Tracklist:
1. The Sunken Djinn
2. Calling From The Core
3. The Coldest Night
4. Blood Vortex
5. Architect Of Despair
6. Rapturous
7. Maelstroem

A RED DEAD EAGLE ‘Ovum Exclusum Est’ Review & Stream; NYP Item

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From Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Spain we recently received the introductory debut from A Red Dead Eagle here at TNHQ. To be honest, I don’t know a whole lot about the band itself really, other than there’s a member named Mijaíl Komang. I know that because he happens to be the one that brought the band’s new offering, ‘Ovum Exclusum Est‘, to our attention. And man, I am glad he did too! A Red Dead Eagle have crafted an intriguing, multi-textured aural display here, one that’s primarily rooted in atmospherically-enhanced music. That music itself is instrumental and quite powerful though it isn’t what you’d call overtly “heavy” in any sense. No, instead this music is “heady” because it is so aurally vast and exploratory that it takes you places.

Those places are way, way out there in the realm of the infinite cosmos and there is no rush, no hurry or hustle bustle taking place to get there. Instead, once launched..the music looses your restraints from this mortal coil and allows your mind to free-float along with the journey undertaken. Ethereal expanses are mapped out and then moved into on such rides as the amazing opener, ‘Hundred Oxen‘, or the beautifully tranquil ‘New Reverie‘. With a massive aura of carefree vibrations permeating their overall feel, cuts like ‘Silver Swan‘ and ‘Chasing The Great Water Snake‘ provide near perfect escapes. The latter track is especially outstanding and definitely one of the album’s more stellar songs.

If you are a regular partaker of ambient-fueled music, especially the type that is instrumental and seems almost free-form at times, this is for you. Call it Progressive, Space Rock, Post-Rock or what have you, it is irrelevant just as long as you give this a listen. In fact, you can now do exactly that via the Bandcamp embedded stream of A Red Dead Eagle‘s debut, ‘Ovum Exclusum Est‘, below. Then, if you’re just absolutely head over heels smitten with the record, you can acquire it as an NYP (Name Your Price) item if you must. I suggest you throw some coin in for it if you have the means too as we all know how bands struggle to survive but do what you must…for you MUST own this album if you dig psychedelia.

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