Author Archives: bbarratt
Various Artists- Weedian 420
Various Artists/Weedian- 420Release date: 2023Apr20Label: Heavy Psych SoundsRating: 4/5 Released on 4/20, this is a compilation of thirteen excellent tracks. Baby Goat Sick from Dopefight drips with sludge. Hippie Stick from Bongzilla is lush with bluesy riffs. Can’t wait to get in-depth with the new album soon! 9 Joint Spiritual Whip from Iron Monkey is […]
STÖNER – Boogie To Baja
STÖNER – Boogie To BajaRelease date: 2023Feb24Label: HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS RecordsRating: 5/5 This is an EP of tracks that didn’t make it onto their latest album, totally…. STÖNER Theme (Baja Version) is self-explanatory with epic, spacey riffs from the godfather of desert rock, Mario Lalli (Fatso Jetson). City Kids on the other hand is a […]
Ocean of Grief- Pale Existence
Ocean of Grief- Pale ExistenceRelease date: 2023Mar03Label: Personal RecordsRating: 3.5/5 This is the third release from Ocean of Grief, who come to us by the way of Greece. Poetry for the Dead is the first track, a somber soundscape accentuated by steady drumbeats. A nice segue into the piercing vocals and melodic doom of Dale […]
The Evil- Seven Acts to Apocalypse
The Evil– Seven Acts to ApocalypseRelease date: 2023Mar31Label: Osmose ProductionsRating: 3.5/5 The Evil hail from Brazil with a sound described as leaning toward occult doom. Each track is named after the seven deadly sins. Envy plods along in a sludgy manner, heavily reminiscent of early doom. Greed grabs one by the throat, vocals piercing the […]
Dozer- Drifting in the Endless Void
Dozer– Drifting in the Endless VoidRelease date: 2023Apr21Label: Blues Funeral RecordingsRating: 5/5 I’ve been looking forward to reviewing the newest Dozer. Mutation/Transformation thunders to life with an old-school guitar/bass attack. Ex-Human, Now Beast is dominated by frantic drums. Dust for Blood makes me bang my fucking head off as if it were a Kyuss track. […]
Void King- The Hidden Hymnal
Void King– The Hidden HymnalRelease date: 2023Apr07Label: Self-releasedRating: 5/5 The Hidden Hymnal is the newest release from Void King, whom I’ve reviewed in the past (Barren Dominion and There Is Nothing). Egg of the Sun unfolds into a masterclass dripping with sludgy hooks. The Grackle hits fast and furious with punk-ish drums blending into head-banging […]
Warcoe- The Giant’s Dream
Warcoe– The Giant’s DreamRelease date: 2023May12Label: Helter Skelter ProductionsRating: 4.5/5 Warcoe hail from Italy and are described as either traditional doom or proto-metal. Giant’s Dream is an old-school doom stomper that perks my ears. Cats Will Follow sounds like an outtake from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Omega Sunrise is slow and melancholic. Other tracks that caught […]
IBliss- (((Unholy)))
IBliss- (((Unholy))) EPRelease date: 2023Apr28Label: Helter Skelter Productions/Regain RecordsRating: 5/5 IBliss hail from Malaysia and are described as being similar to Electric Wizard and Sleep. This release is in anticipation of an upcoming full-length. Flower ov Evil builds up slowly into downtuned riffs set against thumping drumbeats/sludgy bass. Unholy is beyond my comprehension. Imagine the […]
Candlemass- Sweet Evil Sun
Candlemass- Sweet Evil SunRelease date: 2022Nov18Label: Napalm RecordsRating: 5/5 Candlemass formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 1984. Wizard of the Vortex is a hell of a trad-doom stomper to start, followed by the melancholic soundscape of When Death Sighs. Devil Voodoo hits with solid riffs at a steady pace with the commanding vocals of returning original […]
Black Spell- Season of the Damned
Black Spell– Season of the DamnedRelease date: 2022Dec09Label: Regain RecordsRating: 4/5 Black Spell hail from Italy. Satanic Majesty throbs with pitch-black bass set in bleakness. Black Abyss draws one in with a low and dirty feel. Other tracks that stand out to me are Witches’ Brew (a sinister mid-tempo rocker), Season of the Damned (pays […]
Elder- Innate Passage
Elder- Innate PassageRelease date: 2022Nov25Label: self-releasedRating: 5/5 Over the past decade and a half, Elder have put out release after release of captivating music. It took me a few years to catch on and I’m excited about this new effort. Catastasis is a lush soundscape of lifting harmonies with breathtaking cuts at a steady pace. […]
Fulanno/The Crooked Whispers- Last Call From Hell EP
Fulanno/The Crooked Whispers– Last Call From HellRelease date: 2022Nov01Label: Helter Skelter Productions/Regain RecordsRating: 4/5 Split EP from Argentina’s Fulanno and The Crooked Whispers. Erotic Pleasures in the Catacombs (Fulanno) starts with an epic desert crawl for the first two minutes and draws you in with epic, unforgiving riffage. Fucking love it!. Cycle of Death is […]
Goblinsmoker- Sweet Paravoid
Goblinsmoker– Sweet ParavoidRelease Date: 2022Sep02Label: Sludgelord RecordsRating: 5/5 Over the years, I have listened to tons of bands that could be considered Black Sabbath tribute acts. Goblinsmoker hails from the UK. Sweet Paravoid plods hazily in its’ down-tuned glory, picking up in tempo towards the middle. I feel like I need another bowl. Take The […]
Spiritus Mortis- The Great Seal
Spiritus Mortis– The Great SealRelease date: 2022Sep16Label: Svart RecordsRating: 4.5/5 Spiritus Mortis hail from Finland and they are supposedly the first Finnish doom band. Puputan is a fast-paced banger to start it off. Death’s Charioteer plods with an emphasis on solemn vocals. I was pleasantly surprised by the nasty swagger of Martyrdom Operation, which continues […]
Mystic Charm- Hell Did Freeze Over (reissue)
Mystic Charm– Hell Did Freeze Over (reissue)Release date: 2022Aug26Label: Personal RecordsRating: 4.5/5 Mystic Charm hailed from the Netherlands and this is technically an extended reissue of their 2001 EP Did Hell Freeze Over. Did Hell Freeze Over (intro) unfolds in a sinister tone, leading into the down-tuned (or turned-down?) notes of Beyond the Darkside. Bloodshot […]
Dead Void- Volatile Forms
Dead Void– Volatile FormsRelease Date: 2022Sep15Label: Dark Descent RecordsRating: 4/5 This is the debut of Dead Void who hail from Copenhagen. Atrophy plods along at first, picking up in tempo with thunderous drumbeats. Sadistic Mind and Perpetually Circling the Void stand out due to their sinister undertones backed by a low growl and foreboding instrumentation. […]
The Sombre- Monuments of Grief
The Sombre– Monuments of GriefRelease date: 2022Aug19Label: Chaos RecordsRating: 3.5/5 The Sombre hail from the Netherlands and their sound is described as death-doom. From The Depths of Misery lives up to its’ name with a flicker of haunting harmony. Alone In My Desolation resonates with my own feelings of despair, which is almost too much […]
Temple of Void- Summoning the Slayer
Temple of Void– Summoning the SlayerRelease date: 2022Jun03Label: Relapse RecordsRating: 3/5 Temple of Void return with their newest full-length after 2020’s The World That Was, which was a solid death-doom record. Behind the Eye plods with a touch of sludge. Deathtouch is similar in tone with more emphasis on vocals. Other tracks that stand out […]
Famyne- II: The Ground Below
Famyne– II: The Ground BelowRelease date: 2022May13Label: SvartRating: 4/5 Famyne hail from Canterbury, Kent, England. This is the first time I’ve heard of them. Solid Earth crushes it with head-banging riffage, ala Black Sabbath. Opening of Gone is very familiar and the atmosphere is soft and melodic. Other tracks that stood out were Once More […]
Ghost- Impera
Ghost– ImperaRelease date: 2022March11Label: Concord/Loma VistaRating: 4/5 Ghost return with their long-awaited (at least by me) follow up to Prequelle. The track Imperium opens things on a soft note. Kaisarion moves with a punk-like feel in spots. Lyrics of Call Me Little Sunshine beckon one to embrace the morning star. Hunter’s Moon conveys the thoughts […]
Thūn- II
Thūn– IIRelease date: 2022Jul01Label: Eat Lead and DieRating: 4/5 Thūn is a collective featuring Jon Higgs and Hugo Wilkinson (MONSTERWORKS), James Knoerl (GARGOYL) and guest guitarist Karl Sanders (NILE). Their sound has been described as epic death metal. Where All Truths Lie delivers with a raw, sustained attack. Look to the Sea has an obvious […]
STÖNER- totally…
STÖNER– totally…Release date: 2022May06Label: Heavy Psych SoundsRating: 5/5 I fucking love STÖNER. This is their follow up to “Stoners Rule“(June 2021). If you’re familiar with Brant Bjork (Kyuss; Fu Manchu) and/or Nick Oliveri (Kyuss; Queens of the Stone Age), you can’t miss this one. Party March thunders out the gate to get ya in the […]
Cauchemar- Rosa Mystica
Cauchemar– Rosa MysticaRelease date: 2022May16Label: Temple of MysteryRating: 5/5 Cauchemar hail from Montreal, Quebec. I reviewed their last release from 2016, Chapele Ardente and it blew me out of the water at the time. They’ve only gotten a hell lot better since. Rosa Mystica was recorded at No Man’s Land studio in Gatineau, QC. Jour […]
Fulanno- Nadie está a salvo del mal
Fulanno– Nadie está a salvo del mal (No one is safe from evil)Release date: 2022Feb18Label: Helter Skelter/Regain RecordsRating: 5/5 Latest release from Argentinian stoner-doom group Fulanno. Fuego en la Cruz plods along to ominous doom notes. Los Eligados thunders along with ominous licks, reminiscent of Uncle Acid. After listening through, the tracks that made an […]
Demonio- Electric Voodoo
Demonio– Electric VoodooRelease date: 2021Dec18Label: self-releasedRating: 4/5 Demonio hail from Italy and their sound has been described as psychedelic doom. From the Grave is chock full of distorted fuzz. Acid’s Dream is sonically similar to a certain Monster Magnet track, which I enjoy. Tracks that stood out were Evil Pleasures, Ritual of the Knife and […]
![Amelia Wilcox - Thought Gazebo (Orange Store) [LOCAL]](https://wruv.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/a3729195146_10.jpeg?resize=40%2C40){kind=small}
![Bae Radbury - Solid Lines (Self-released) [LOCAL]](https://wruv.files.wordpress.com/2022/03/a4081392594_10.jpeg?resize=40%2C40){kind=small}
![Amelia Wilcox - Better Versions (Self-released) [LOCAL]](https://wruv.files.wordpress.com/2022/03/a1115960196_10.jpeg?resize=40%2C40){kind=small}
WRUV Reviews 