DOOM SIDE OF THE MOON

Released – August 4th, 2017

Limited Vinyl // CD // DD // Tons of Merchandise

Reviewed by Ric “Suisyko” Dorr

When The Boss said he had this one needing a review, I HAD to jump on it. Being a fan of The Pink Floyd from waaaaaaaay-back, I still have the tour poster from the first time I saw them when I was a little-little for “Atom Heart Mother”, I auto-salivate when someone does an ‘update’ of anything from Pink Floyd and this was no exception. I dug around for any press about it and was overjoyed when I came across this:
“To celebrate 50 years of Pink Floyd releasing music that changed the world, guitarist Kyle Shutt (The Sword) has produced a heavy metal cover of PF‘s seminal album, ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’. Having recruited vocalist Alex Marrero (Brownout/Brown Sabbath), saxophonist Jason Frey (Black Joe Lewis/Hard Proof), and keyboardist Joe Cornetti (Croy and The Boys), Shutt tapped his bandmates from The Sword, Bryan Richie and Santiago Vela III, to record his vision. Engineered and Mixed by Stuart Sikes (White Stripes, Rocket From The Crypt), the resulting band and album have been dubbed “Doom Side of the Moon“.

Live from Austin, Texas (Picture by Sandy Carson)

My jaw dropped as I recognized names and could not wait to hear what could very well be the quintessential interpretation for THIS century of an essential album that was a large portion of the LAST century.

To call this a ‘cover album’ is in no way an accurate descriptor as in this represents more of a re-interpretation and update… and remember, this is DOOM Side… darker than dark and with an undertone that could be even more ‘sinister’. Most of the ‘noises’ are replaced by sounds that can only be described as out of the shadows and not so easily defined. It is complete with the perfectly rolling synth’s during ‘On The Run’, to the transition into ‘Time’ that instead of the Chiming clocks and bells that we all know to be the opening of, Shutt instead went with what to ME sounded like the opening notes of PF‘s ‘Astronomy Domine’ as the rollover into and it is absolute genius, a perfect fit!!

The keyboard intro to ‘Great Gig…’ is chilling and when the sax enters for the vocal line, it is the ultimate salute to the original track and not a desecration as there is no denying the notes are all there with as much heart and fervor as Clare Torry herself put into it.

No coin sounds for ‘Money’ but straight into the progression and then it gets LOUD and ugly in the perfect sneer that greets us with the opening lyric hitting right between your eyes, never ending relevance intact, all the way to “…that do-goody-good bullshit” until the speed kicks in and you are rolling right alongside, screaming guitars and all. Sonic rendering of without a flinch and is right on time as even the end section rips and tears. It is almost divine in fuzzed out splendor fading off into ‘Us & Them’ that is ghost-like in presentation and shines as bright as, beginning to end as does the rest of the tracks offered here.

It has also been reported that there is a tour in the works to support this amazing output. Purportedly, because Shutt likes to think big, he couldn’t just stop after recording the album. Doom Side of the Moon will be playing their album in its entirety along with other PF favorites set to a spectacular laser-light visual experience performed by The Mustachio Light Show (Levitation/Desert Daze/NRMAL) as scheduling allows. Reverend Guitars, with whom Shutt recently released a signature guitar, will be sponsoring the live show.

Get this IMMEDIATELY into your library and by all means go and witness this spectacle live, taking every person you can and keep it LOUD!! Re-arrange me til I’m sane…

Links:
https://www.indiemerch.com/doomsideofthemoon/
https://www.facebook.com/DoomSideoftheMoon/

Austin, Texas’ heavy alternative rockers The Sword have announced the release of their first ever live album. Due on May 5th from Razor & Tie, ‘Greetings From…‘ consists of nine songs recorded from the band’s most recent tour with Opeth in the fall of 2016. Pre-orders for the album are up and running now on iTunes, with “Maiden, Mother And Crone” being an instant grat track with every order. Vinyl and physical CDs can be pre-ordered at The Sword‘s webstore and Razor & Tie‘s webstore both. Those ordering on the band’s webstore have a choice of multiple bundles, including a custom laminate, slip mat, exclusive t-shirt, and a limited edition signed lithograph of the album’s cover art. The label’s webstore will feature bundles with an exclusive t-shirt and hoodie.

‘Greetings From…‘ tracklist:

01 – “Buzzards”
02 – “The Chronomancer I: Hubris”
03 – “Maiden, Mother & Crone”
04 – “Tears Like Diamonds”
05 – “Mist & Shadow”
06 – “Agartha”
07 – “Tres Brujas”
08 – “John The Revelator”
09 – “The Horned Goddess”

To coincide with the live album’s release, The Sword will do two legs of touring in May and July. The May tour, running mainly on the eastern half of the U.S., will feature eight shows supporting Clutch and Lucero and eleven headline dates featuring support by Crow & The Boys, Mount Carmel and Pontiak on various dates. The July dates will be focused on the West Coast and support on all shows will be provided by Big Jesus.

– Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker