DUEL Drops 4th of July Mortar, ‘Breakfast With Death’
What could be better than a breakfast with Death? What a party, right? Might sound bizarre, but you’ll be up for the vibe right away as soon as you get this album rocking. DUEL releases ‘Breakfast With Death’ (2024) this weekend on Heavy Psych Sounds, a hard-fighting, whisky-spitting, rubber meets the road rock 'n’ roll road trip from Austin, Texas. But it’s not just rock, this is heavy rock with desert, doom, and psychedelic mods on this stream rolling machine, with a rhythm that will not let up from Drew Potter (bass) and Patrick “Scooch” Pascucci (drums).
This is just high octane, kick-ass stuff, beginning with the over-caffeinated heartbeat of “Ancient Moonlight” made perfect by cool, lower-range crooning from frontman Tom Frank (vocals, guitar), who doesn’t seem concerned in the slightest about how fast this thrashy train is moving. The dank ending 3:13 is like everything suddenly going into slow motion and the tracks melting right beneath the wheels.
“Chaos Reigns” has a rambunctious '70s rock start, but the low-end is like nothing heard generations ago. This is heavy as all fuck with two downtuned guitars. And those verses are defiant. The rhythm section likes to go insane in short bursts, especially during the punk-thrash chorus. Nice to have some bitchin’ guitar soloing too from Jeff Henson (lead guitar).
“Satan’s Invention” was the lead single from this album and starts strong and rebellious “I don’t believe in the devil! Hell is a place here on earth!” Later the guitars do a solo version of that verse and the chorus. The band describes this one as “a four-minute Thin Lizzy-sequel rocker exploring the evils of man and the illusions of life. The countless lies we are fed from birth to death. All at a beat you can dance to!” The backing vocals are effective and the riffs and vocal intonations work out really well together here
Nice to see a band like Duel traffic in and out of different styles of rock and metal so seamlessly, not just between songs but within the tracks themselves. In “Fallacy” we get full-on groove metal, but everything about the song still screams DUEL, whether it’s the tuning of the instruments, the chemistry of the musicians, or the defining vocal tone and harmonies (a singer and two backers). The middle section goes into a more regret-filled, horror-tinged sentiment that’s right in Beastmaker territory.
“Pyro” may not be the best song to highlight on the 4th of July (let’s keep our forests from setting on fire for Pete’s sake, folks), but it’s definitely high octane and mischief-filled. “You think you’re innocent, Tom quips, and right away you’re thinking no. The guitar solo here takes us into an alternate universe, while the second guitar joins the rhythm section for some truly impish grinding and some sweet dueling guitar play later in the song.
"Berserker” features some grueling bass and drum work, and a trippy chorus with hypnotizing guitar riffage that recalls 1960’s classics.
“Tigers of Destruction” charges at us with Metallica-esque fury in those monstrous monotone verses that greet us from the start. The Duel beast continues to morph and evolve throughout the song, and the guitar solo introduces elements of psychedelic and grunge. This is going to be one of your favorite tracks on the album.
“Greet The Dead” dredges up a stormy clash of riff and rhythm, then showcases some awesome basswork. Tom’s range works ideally on this song’s verses and chorus. Finally vocals that aren’t high for me to sing along with. There are some great harmonic touches from backing singers Jeff and Drew, as well as a whirling dervish of a solo the finish.
“Burn The Earth” begins with an early-doom, Saint Vitus type groove but gets way rowdy just a minute in. I cannot emphasize how important it is to listen to this with some decent speakers that really bring out that bass. It’s pulse pounding with great energy, rowdy vocals recalling those gritty early Neal Fallon days in Clutch. Two minutes in and the song is still revving strong, then a disjointed, jerky breakdown that takes us into strange Ozzy dimensions of spooky. When the ravaging chorus returns at 3:07, you’ll for sure snag this for your End of the World mixtape.
Duel’s Breakfast with Death comes out Friday, July 5th on Heavy Psych Sounds on vinyl, CD, and digital (pre-order here). Stick it on a playlist with Red Fang, Danava, High Desert Queen, Hippie Death Cult, and Greenbeard.
TRACKLIST
1. Ancient Moonlight
2. Satan’s Invention
3. Chaos Reigns
4. Fallacy
5. Pyro
6. Berserker
7. Tigers of Destruction
8. Greet The Dead
9. Burn The Earth
Aittala Offer Powerful Pandemic Post-Mortem on ‘Live to Regret’
With so much of our shared media being safe and sanitized, it seems that music may be one of the few remaining bastions of honest and free expression – a kind of litmus test of the human condition. Certainly Raleigh, North Carolina band AITTALA bears both heart and soul on the band’s sixth full-length record, ‘Live To Regret’ (2022).
Written and recorded in the backdrop of COVID-19, Aittala commiserates with the heavy toll this whole miserable mess has taken on our relationships. The 11-track LP mingles elements of doom, sludge, groove, and thrash in seamless fashion for what amounts to a powerful pandemic confessional.
Beginning in down 'n’ dirty swing mode, the title track is delivered with all the metal fixings, transforming the track into a groovy vehicle for the band’s powers. I have a hunch you’ll be humming this one on your way home from work this week.
“Collateral Damage” follows and shifts us to an overcast mood full of dissonant sounds and a dreamlike chorus. I’m sure many will readily identify with its words:
They’re always on your heels
So keep looking over your shoulder
You have to watch your back
And try not to lose your composure
“Saint” is a bonafide doomer, leaning more towards the Warning side of the genre, and features some gorgeous guitar harmonies. As I was listening to the lyrical narrative, it struck me how every anguished note was played with absolute conviction.
“Cannibals” is a classic thrash attack with crunchy chugging guitars and squealing guitar action, while “Big Brother” is as mournfully doomy as it comes. Even with the most winteresque numbers, Aittala has a knack for surprising us, here with a groove metal B-section. The lyrical sentiment is imbued with the stubborn independence of bygone generations:
We fall to our knees and pray
As we prepare for judgment day
We worship the collective fraud
Big brother is now our god
Another highlight is “Juliet (2022),” closing the record with the tale of a demented Romeo and Juliet couple. There are overtones of horror, both through the hypnotic pacing of the song and the tension produced by harrowing guitar chords and a pulsating synthesizer.
Live to Regret by Aittala drops on Monday c/o Exitus Stratagem Records pre-order. Stick it on a playlist with Apostle of Solitude, Crowbar, Famyne, and Paradise Lost, with a dash of Slayer for good measure.
This is the Doomed & Stoned world premiere.
Give ear…
SOME BUZZ
Aittala (pronounced 'EYE-tah-la’) has been around since 1991 and in that time has developed a sound that is unique, progressive, and memorable. With a solid core of doom metal, they add hints of power metal, sludge and traditional metal, a feast of variety that is on full display in their upcoming seventh album 'Live to Regret’ (2022). Lyrically, the album chronicles a chaotic period of time for members of the band personally as well as the global events happening in parallel.
The band comments on the album:
“Aittala is extremely excited for the fans to hear the new album 'Live to Regret.’ The pandemic was a stressful time for everyone, but it’s even much more stressful when you’re dealing with an unhealthy relationship that’s full of tension and animosity on a daily basis. A lot of toxic energy fueled the writing of the album and became something of a way to cleanse the spirit of the toxicity.
“We hope the fans hear the pain, pleasure, and passion that went into the writing of these songs. I think they’ll connect with these songs more than prior albums because they are more personal. Overall, we’re very pleased how the album turned out. It’s definitely the best Aittala album yet and we look forward to building on it in the future!”
The album has eleven tracks, each defying the limits of genre rules. There is the trash inspired track “Cannibals” that confronts the tightening grip of governmental monitoring and control. The sludgey “Big Brother” about the devolution/zombification of the human race due to technology. The smoky stoner infused “Never Forget” that talks about dealing with a toxic person along with many more.
'Live to Regret’ will be available on November 7, 2022, via Exitus Stratagem Records and was produced by Eric Aittala and John E. Wooten IV, who also mixed the record along with mastering by Dave Harris at Studio B Mastering. Album artwork by Mariano Pugliese.
Cave of Swimmers Reach Epic Heights in Infectious New Spinner ‘Aurora’
I’ve always said that given the right circumstances (say a good set of professional ears lodged in influential places) that CAVE OF SWIMMERS would be a sensation. Why? Because they’ve got all the right stuff to really connect with people at a time when heavy music has been simmering underground, well-past ready for a fresh outburst. Hamstrung by lockdowns, financial burdens, and fear aplenty, we’re ready to dust off our air guitars and party like it’s 1987 again (incidentally, the year I first discovered heavy music). I’m not alone in speculating that we’re in for another Roaring Twenties, not unlike the carefree days that followed the last global pandemic. And it’s precisely this kind of energetic vibe, with its unique Latin-meets-metal flavor, that is ripe and ready to rock ‘n’ revel to!
Hell, we’ve not heard a sound this contagious since, well, maybe Sepultura – and that was another animal entirely. With that said, Cave of Swimmers are very much metal to the core. And oh what a crowd-rousing live show Guillermo Gonzalez (guitar, synth, vox) and Arturo Garcia (drums, backing vox) can put on! I was there when Cave of Swimmers energized a hung-over and droopy mob gathered 'round The Vinyl Stage at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, lo those many years ago at the inaugural Psycho Las Vegas.
All that and they have an appealing back story: two friends whose families relocated to Florida amidst tumultuous circumstances in Venezuela. As teenagers, Arturo and Guillermo grew up idolizing bands like Iron Maiden and Metallica and now they’ve crafted a fantastic, original style of their own, with wicked guitar play and grandiose vocals built atop a rhythmic array that is simultaneously feverish and suave, with choruses that are imminently singable. Stream their latest LP at least twice through and I can predict which lines you’ll be humming at work and crowing in the shower at the top of your lungs.
When the band burst upon the scene in 2013 with Cave of Swimmers, I remember the community sharing it like mad. From “Materia” onward to their incredible namesake anthem, it was as if the Latin Candlemass had emerged from the salty Atlantic to enthrall crowds like some kind of warbling Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Their music-making only got better from there. 2015 gifted us with a second EP, Reflection, featuring a song I have no doubt will one day be a doom metal standard, “Prince of the Power of the Air”. I’m telling you, the Psycho crowd went stompin’ nuts when they heard those quasi-Biblical lyrics sung in epic doom fashion accompanied by that stern guitar tone, leading up to an incredible solo, and then a delirious second-half, which made everyone dance (whether we wanted to or not). It’s infectious, like I said. I’m telling you, this sound cannot be matched. And I’m convinced it will not be stopped, either.
2021 is Cave of Swimmer’s year to ascend, for thus saith the Prophet that dwelleth atop the Rocks on High! Pandemic or no, it was this duo’s time to release the material that had been welling up inside of them for so long. I guess we can call this their first LP, even though every spin so far has felt sufficiently hefty to refer to as a full-length. Six songs clocking in at over 30 minutes – it’s the band’s next stepping stone in their journey from the recording studio into your earbuds and mine.
'Aurora’ (2021) plays like the first songbird of spring, if you’ll indulge my idyllic wording for a moment. It’s just so full of earnestness, life, and yes joy. Three things that we’ve been longing for in the midst of so much treachery and nihilistic despair. Hell, I consider myself something of a nihilist, but this band melts away my grim pessimism. It’s all encapsulated in the thrashy, downtuned attack married to a kind of urgent Latin vibe that says “We’ve got one night left to live, let’s die with a smile!”
After an atmospheric introduction that foreshadows material still to come, we’re treated to “The Sun,” which the band released as a single awhile back. I remember telling them at the time, “You guys should be huge.” I meant it with all my heart, too. Certainly, this isn’t watered down pop music fare, yet I think the average heavy music listener will find it wholly accessible. I’d put this Cave of Swimmers neck-and-neck with any Top 50 touring metal act, based on this track alone. Maybe I’m just enamored of their sound and being less than objective. So sue me.
Next up: “Double Rainbow,” which is a kind of resurrection of optimism. Hope for a new and better tomorrow. “Forget the hate, forget the scene, forget the life of complacency,” Guillermo sings. “A second arc, new scenery, our time is here. Don’t let it go! When I hear it, I too want to believe.” It’s a message that’s especially important for us to convey to the next generation of rockers and metalheads, lest they be weighed down by our own disillusionment and mistakes. This is a song that encourages that that brash, foolhardy youthful joie de vivre and its power to change the status quo.
“My Human” opens up with a burst of syncopated guitar that reminds me of something Tom Morello likes to cook up, but its mere window dressing for a song that develops into something purely Cave of Swimmers. A single melodic line of epic singing accented by a soft layer of synthesizer lays out the verse, followed by one headbanger of a chorus. It’s a song about companionship and the consolation that we can have in one another, if we will only open ourselves up long enough to being truly human. To give and in turn receive. It also seems to speak of a hope beyond this life, at least in some ethereal, metaphysical sense.
“Looking Glass” unloads a spitfire of “Say hello to my little friend!” style riffage that rips open into a chorus I could definitely take with me to salsa lessons, if I were to dare return. Remind me to tell you about the time I accidently cracked a partner’s nose with my elbow while trying to pull off one of those fancy turn-and-swing maneuvers. Sigh. Some of us have no rhythm, whatsoever. But I recognize a good slam-dancing song when I hear it!
Which leads me to talk “Dirt.” Much more gritty than its predecessors, accompanied by a spooky synth of the kind Rob Zombie or Acid Witch are apt to toy with. Even as the mood turns grim, it’s a foot shuffler nonetheless. And there’s no denying the power of those soaring, falconesque vocals. Guillermo seems capable of transporting listeners to a higher plane of consciousness. Good thing, too, because the message is that we’ve all been living in our mental prisons for far too long, reinforced by “pride and ego trips.”
Billions of us
Where are we going to?
Chasing our tails around the sun
Bleeding our hearts
Divided and conquered, too
Buy us for sale at the dollar store
Raised like pigs on dirt
It’s time to break free. The song ends with a section of flamenco-style guitar executed with deft classical technique. It reminded me a bit of Psychroptic’s “Euphorinasia” – another song that makes brilliant use of acoustic guitar.
“C.S.” is Cave of Swimmer’s swan song – a send-back to their earliest work. Their reprisal reminds me of something Metallica would do. There’s a certain “Nothing Else Matters” mood about it all. Then out of nowhere, a spurt of volcanic riffage and mad drumming breaks out into a Gojiraesque hoe-down. Oh yes, and there’s another celebratory trve metal guitar solo lodged in there juxtaposed with complex rhythmic percussion.
I’m telling you, Cave of Simmers cannot be beat. The game belongs to them. Their time is now. Give ear…
Cave of Swimmers Premieres Scorching New Single!
~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~
By Billy Goate (Editor in Chief)
Photos by Jen Cray
I’ve long been a fan of Miami’s CAVE OF SWIMMERS, ever since I heard their stunning eponymous EP in 2013. It was just so…different. The shot in the arm that the heavy scene desperately needed. This was followed by their milestone full-length debut, ‘Reflection’ (2015) which still stands as one of the decades finest releases. Long-time friends Guillermo Gonzalez (guitar/vox) and Arturo Garcia (drums) come to us by way of Venezuela, where they crew up on a steady diet of Metallica and Candlemass. If you’ve missed our in-depth interview with the band, you’ll definitely want to check it out to get their incredible backstory.
When I first heard Cave of Swimmers I said to myself, “Holy shit! These guys should be HUGE!” If we were still in the glory days of terrestrial radio, I have no doubt Cave of Swimmers would be a name we’d be hearing a lot more of. In today’s crapshoot environment of online releases, it’s becoming more and more difficult for a solid act like Cave of Swimmers to be noticed. Until last year.
The visionary festival Psycho Las Vegas invited Guillermo and Arturo to join their stellar inaugural line-up and I couldn’t wait to catch their act. I was impressed by the passion, ingenuity and, well, fun which the dynamic duo brought to the stage. Look at Guillermo shred! And what’s this, is he dancing to Latin rhythms? Yes! Who would have thought to marry heavy metal with the infectious groove of Argentine dance and the gravity of doom? Whatever you call this innovative new style, it was clear it worked and it was uniquely Cave of Swimmers. Most importantly, the crowd loved it.
It was clear that these guys could not only convincingly hold their own, but hang with the best of them. Months later, Arturo and Guillermo would fulfill the dream of opening for their childhood idol Jason Newsted, of Metallica fame. Again, I say, these guys have the potential to go mainstream.
And now to the brand new Cave of Swimmers track before us. On July 3rd, Southern Druid Records will release 'The Sun’ (2017) as a limited edition 7". There are two tracks here, really: the title track, which makes me want to do something very impulse and foolish. I can see a whole lot of stage-diving going on to “The Sun.” The song is a lightening in a bottle, a furious hornet’s nest of riffs that would have been legendary in the adrenaline fueled heyday of thrash. Everything about this works, from Guillermo’s laser-sharp shredding and bold, almost operatic, vocals to Arturo’s moshing rhythms. Exciting is the word I’m looking for.
Given the massive length of Cave of Swimmer’s opus, Guillermo tells me, “We knew we needed shorter songs. There’s only so much you can play in 45 minutes of an usual set, and our songs are so long that we mostly end up playing no more than four. That’s basically where the idea came from: write a shorter song, more straight to the point. Ideas kept pouring in, and the song evolved into what it is. Just above 6 minutes, it’s our shortest song yet. It’s fast paced, too.”
As far as lyrical content goes, Guillermo says “The Sun” is self-evidence. “It deals with the sun and how it’s something that is there for us; it exists and we know it’s real. It’s bright, we can see it, we can feel it… It’s about something palpable in moments when we don’t know who or what is real. I think it’s good for us to have a 'sun’ in our lives in order to keep us grounded, motivated. For some people it might be a loved one, or a pet or even art. Music is definitely mine! Something real in times of doubt. Reliable, life-giving, wound-healing. I used to work at a therapist’s office in Delray Beach, where a lot of people went for rehab. After being there for a couple of years, listening to all kinds of stories about personal issues and tribulations and just relating, to feeling hopeless and lonely at certain times. I walked out of the place for a breather one day, and it was a beautiful day outside, took a deep breath, and thanked goodness for the sun.”
Played live, “It’s a fast song. Lots of singing, a lot of notes, a lot of emotions. It’s definitely different than what we’ve done in the past, but it’s still us. It sounds like we did it, it sounds like I sang it – for better or worse (laughs) – sounds like we played it. So it’s us. It’s very honest. Hopefully it’ll remind whoever is paying attention that someone out there loves you. Guess who?”
The second track (which Doomed & Stoned debuts today) is vintage Cave of Swimmers. Arturo tells me that “Hangman” is one of the first songs he and Guillermo wrote. “It’s based on the movie The Machinist, starring Christian Bale,” he explains. “Bale plays a factory worker whose insomnia, lucid dreams and very realistic hallucinations lead him to become emaciated, and to be the cause of other problems in the work place. He finds comfort in Stevie, a prostitute with genuine affection for him and Marie, a waitress at a dinner he frequents. Musically, it came out of an old riff we had that we sped up. We also included some dance breaks for Guillermo and most importantly, our audience.”
You can get the limited edition 7" The Sun on pre-order via Southern Druid Records here. AND…if you get a chance to see Cave of Swimmers live, do not miss them!
Cave of Swimmers on Tour
7.7 Gainesville, FL - The Atlantic
7.8 Birmingham, AL - The Nick
7.9 Memphis, TN - Growlers
7.10 Nashville, TN - East Room
7.11 Winston-Salem - Test Pattern
7.12 Richmond, VA - 25 Watt
7.13 Brooklyn, NY - Gold Sounds
7.14 Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie
7.15 Providence, RI - Alchemy
7.17 Montreal, QC - Piranha
7.19 Detroit, MI - Corktown
7.20 Chicago, IL - Reggie’s
7.21 Indianapolis, IN - Taps Live
7.22 Huntington WV - V Club
7.24 Chapel Hill, NC - The Cave
7.26 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
7.28 New Orleans, LA - Siberia
The Doomed & Stoned Podcast
Revisits Gory Grindhouse Classic
On this week’s episode, a ravenous band of Satanic, rat-eating, blood-drinking hippies create mischief in a small town. They could have gotten away with it, if it wasn’t for one meddling kid. When they feed LSD to his grandpa, that’s the last straw. Revenge comes in the form of a gift of freshly baked meat pies.
What unthinkable madness shall befall this horde of miscreants at nightfall? Find out, as Doomed & Stoned continues it’s series of Halloween ‘casts. This streaming podcast originally aired as a live broadcast on Grip of Delusion Radio (www.GripofDelusion.com)
Featured: clips from the drive-in trasher, 'I Drink Your Blood’ (1970). Also in this episode:
1. Acid Witch “Evil”
2. Space God Ritual “Lunacy”
3. The Hookers “Devil’s Wedding Night”
4. Saint Vitus “Darkness”
5. Acid Coma “Rats”
6. Weed Is Weed “Alligator Crawl”
7. Fistula “The Fang”
8. Southern Train Gypsy “The Gunslinger”
9. Merlin “Bad Trip”
10. Dopelord “Acid Trippin’”
11. R.I.P. “Brave In The Grave”
12. -(16)- “Grip of Delusion”
13. Fister “The Failure”
14. Methra “Creeper”
15. Crypt Trip “Mrs. Absinthe”
16. Lazarus Blackstar “I Bleed Black (Saint Vitus)”
17. Meth Drinker “Skull Smashing Concrete”
18. Crypt Jaintor “Graveworm”
*Support the bands*
More tunes at doomedandstoned.bandcamp.com
LivenLoud: Black Cobra
A Doomed & Stoned Film
How ‘bout we kick off this weekend with the rowdy, audacious rumblings of BLACK COBRA? This was my second time filming the band (the first, I was waaaaaay to close to the stage: pros - no heads in front of me, cons - right in the path of the mosh pit - BAM - disaster!). This time, I stood a healthy distance and an quite happy with the result. The San Fran duo opened for Bongzilla at Star Theater earlier this month.
‘Freshly Baked and Fully Mixed’ Contest!
Enter for a chance to get your band’s EP/LP mixed by sound engineer Samantha Michelle Smith!
Doomed & Stoned is collaborating with audio engineer Samantha “Rainbow” Smith to give some lucky band the opportunity to have their record professionally mixed! For the last 5 years, Samantha has been providing expert recording and production services to the heavy bands of the New Jersey and Philadelphia area. Having worked with bands like Draugrstone and Ennoea, her production style is an artful blend of old and new techniques. Massive retro sounds achieved through modern production, Samantha’s been helping bands blaze their own paths in a world over-saturated by hyper-quantized and auto-tuned performances.
Check out her handiwork:
Contest Rules
- Submit your band’s demo (with at least one completed song) to doomedandstonedcontest@gmail.com
- Send sound files (any format) to us via DropBox, WeTransfer, Google Drive, etc. or via Bandcamp
- Deadline: February 29th, 2016
- Doomed & Stoned will upload the contestants and give our readership a chance to vote on their favs during the first week in March.
The winner will announced Monday, March 7th and the record’s mixing process will be documented via a video series on YouTube. Spread the word! We look forward to discovering the talent lurking in the heavy underground!
More of our raw footage from the second annual Hoverfest in Portland, Oregon, filmed on a hot, windy Saturday, August 8th, 2015. Lord Dying. played songs from their two albums, Summon The Faithless (2013) and Poisoned Altars (2015) on Relapse Records, which you can get here.
Lord Dying appears on our first compilation, Doomed & Stoned in Portland (2014), a 75-band survey of the Portland, Oregon heavy underground, available here.
D&S Interviews
A Fireside Chat with POSSESSOR Frontman Graham Bywater
By Frank Heredia (D&S West)
Does your environment at all inspire sounds that make its way into Possessor?
Absolutely. Growing up in a less intense environment than London really shaped my way of thinking. I reckon we could relocate to the busiest, most corporate city in the world and we’d still basically all be country folk. I, for one, cannot think straight or write music unless I’m hidden away somewhere with no distraction. I recently moved to a much quieter part of London to shake off the anxieties and bullshit of the overpopulated and hectic city. That’s great if you want to party, but as Lynyrd Skynyrd so rightly said, when it comes to inspiration: “I don’t even want a piece of concrete in my town.” Ha.
Seriously though, the sound of Possessor’s music resonates heavily with our surroundings and that comes from being raised away from the city and having more time to live within our own heads when we were younger. Before the digital age we had little besides Walkmans, books, cheap guitars and cigarettes to entertain us but we were always thinking and creating no matter how dreadful the end results were. I’m lucky to have grown up with some super talented people who shared those feelings. I used to spend hours mesmerized by my older brother’s copies of Metal Hammer and Raw magazine - it felt like all these bands were from another planet. And then there was the dreaded MTV. Nowadays, the world seems much smaller as we have everything at our fingertips and while that’s totally awesome, you need to still distance yourself a bit and try to do your own thing no matter what is currently the flavour of the month.
I’m a tad obsessed with rural and occult ‘70s British horror, too. I love old houses and the unknown, and these are things you can’t experience in busy environments. I also love cats. Ghosts and such have always overpowered my thoughts and lyrically I rip off outsiders like William Hodgson and M.R.James. I think all three of us would admit to being compulsive daydreamers, too.
For a band that is so fast paced, Possessor somehow retains the feel of doom. Is this intentional?
A lot of bands nowadays seem rooted in one specific genre, which is cool, but I think the best music is the stuff you can’t quite pigeonhole. Perhaps why a band like Nirvana caught everyone’s attention. It’s the same for films. Is Alien a horror film or Sci-fi? That’s maybe why so many people like it.
We love old school death, black and thrash metal. Bands like Possessed, Kreator, Darkthrone, and Morbid Angel have had a particular influence on our songwriting - but then so have Black Sabbath, Kyuss and Fu Manchu - so the crossover in the Possessor sound came about organically and naturally. We’ve had some interesting comparisons. L7 crossed with Pantera, for example. It’s pretty funny, but yeah, it’s great fun writing a horrid, sludgy, doom riff and then playing it at the speed of Slayer or as wild as Celtic Frost. Or likewise, writing a high speedy thrash riff but downtuning and slowing it down.
On 'Stay Dead’ (2015) a big hardcore punk influence came about. Can we expect more influences making their way into future Possessor releases?
Interesting question. I hadn’t really noticed that sort of change. Marc [Brereton, bass] and I both intensely love the Ramones and about ten years ago I went through a perverse Black Flag phase, but other than that I don’t listen to much hardcore or punk these days. I probably should. I guess Repulsion are kinda grind hardcore. I like them a lot. Oh, and I love The Slits, but I guess they’re way too odd to categorize as a punk band. Matt [Radford, drums] is more into the hardcore stuff, I think. He was playing me some Agnostic Front the other day. It was rip-roaring. I do like the idea of evolving the sound a bit, though; repetition doesn’t feel necessary, as life is short and we may all get wiped out any day. Ha. Between the three of us, we are into all sorts of music but whatever the progression, with Possessor, it will always be rooted in heavy metal in the most traditional sense. Sweat, denim and beer.
I added some church organ to the latest EP, but I don’t know if anyone’s even noticed it as I mixed it pretty low. It added a spooky edge that we felt worked. I was putting the finishing touches down and asked Marc via text if it was cool and he simply replied saying “FUCK YEAH,” so that was that.
There were a few other weird instrumental pieces recorded for this EP that we left off. One track called “The Embalming” was a wall of downtuned noise and samples from BBC radio ghost stories, but kind of set to an Earthlessesque groove. Maybe it will come out one day, but I’ll probably record over it by mistake. Ha. I honestly don’t know what the next release will sound like, but it will be a Possessor record, that’s for sure.
You make use of the term “occult metal” to describe your sound, why is this?
That whole thing comes from a shared love of horror films. It’s hard to explain what the natural link is between our music and films such as Blood On Satan’s Claw, House of Whipcord, The Wicker Man or The Legend of Hell House, but it’s just there and it’s not our fault. With every band I’ve been involved with, horror has played a huge part in the presentation and mood. It may just be connected to being British and slightly negative, who knows.
When I write lyrics and hear our music, I picture Christopher Lee or Linda Hayden leading a bunch of witches into a forest to raise the dead. I don’t think Possessor are living in the right age as all the usual “heartbreak and moping crap” just seems alien to us. We are more interested in the heritage and history of our once beautiful country. I think Marc may have been born under a witch’s spell.
How was recording for 'Stay Dead’ (2015)?
Interesting, coming off the back of an album we all really felt good about. None of the tracks really ended up as they started out as we endlessly muddled things up and moved riffs about, using older ideas and adding them to new stuff. Cobwebs was the only track that was written in stone from the start as it was almost included on Electric Hell (2014) last year, but at the time had no vocals.
It’s a different experience making an EP. Fifteen minutes isn’t long enough to mess about and there’s less room to breathe. On the plus side, EPs have always been a good excuse to try new ideas or exhibit stuff that’s a little more off the wall and unexpected. For us, the key is to just be loud and intense and scare the life out of the listener. The EP was very nearly called ‘I Drink your Blood,’ as there was a certain unexplainable (video) nastiness in the sound and the four finished tracks felt like they had a venomous sting in their tail.
A recent review said the snare drum was “very Sabbathesque.” And that’s no bad thing, but as usual, none of that was planned. There’s a good chance we have no idea what we are doing.
Talk about your live setup vs. your recording setup
We always record the basic tracks on a really old, beaten up 8-track recorder at my house, and then the vocals are done at our rehearsal space down the road, as they always need to be done in a dark solitary space, with no distraction or noise complaints.
Recording ourselves is cheap and easy and naturally adds to the vibe. We aim to sound loud, overdriven, and distorted, completely raw and unpolished. Possessor couldn’t sound like Def Leppard because we aren’t Def Leppard. We need the grit and the fury, not the bubblegum and varnish. This is the devil’s music.
Live, we keep it as raw and straightforward as possible. I did briefly think about getting a second guitarist to give it a bigger sound and to help cover up any of my mistakes, but Possessor has always felt like a power trio and I just don’t think it’s necessary. There’s something about the ‘classic three piece’ band that can work better live. Rush, Angel Witch, Cream, Motörhead, Aphrodite’s Child, Venom, Blue Cheer…the list is endless. Plus, it looks and sounds simpler and leaves less to the imagination.
Let’s talk horror some more. You seem to be really into that sort of thing. What are some of your favorite films?
I love most cinema, but when it comes to horror…where to begin?! There’s so much great stuff. With more recent films, I’d have to say Cold Prey, House of the Devil and that surprisingly great Evil Dead reimagining really impressed me, and American Mary was pretty decent.
But, all time faves… probably fairly obvious stuff, but for different reasons, I’d have to say Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Rosemary’s Baby, Let’s Scare Jessica to Death, City of The Dead, Blood On Satan’s Claw, Last House on The Left, Carnival of Souls, The Exorcist, Cannibal Holocaust (guilty nihilism), Poltergeist, Evil Dead, Night Train Murders, The Beyond, Blair Witch Project (destroyed all other horror in the nineties), Living Dead at Manchester Morgue, Halloween, Phantasm, Carrie, Hills Have Eyes (both versions), House of Whipcord, Legend of Hell House, The Entity, Lisa Lisa, Deranged, Tombs of The Blind Dead, Repulsion, Frightened Woman, Brain Dead, Last House on Dead End Street, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors, The Devils…I could be here all day!
You get the idea. I’m not really into flashy, high speed horror or gore any more, for me things need to be scary, realistic, ritualistic or psychological. And occasionally, funny.
You guys have begun to play live more often. A chance of a tour sooner or later?
That’s the plan. We’ve been talking to some other like-minded bands and a plan may soon take shape. Europe to begin with… then who knows. It’s all down to the travel expenses and our day jobs. Can we crash at your place when we hit the U.S.?
Absolutely! Mi casa es su casa. By the way, I have to say, Possessor merch is rather good looking for a DIY band. Who’s the mastermind behind these stellar designs?
Thanks! Well, I come up with all the design ideas, usually based loosely on old film posters and stills, and then send them over to my friend Sofia (also creator of our logo) who draws them up and makes them presentable. Mike from Vino Sangre then screen prints them up and that’s it.
Those guys are probably more responsible for the shirts than me. But yeah, they’re really nice! I like total simplicity and eye catching imagery over anything too complex. My wife designed all our button badges, and I think those look really striking.
So looking into your crystal ball, what’s next for Possessor?
Well, the Stay Dead EP is coming out on 12” in the UK very soon via Creepy Crawl Records, and also there are a couple of limited edition tape releases on the way, one in Canada and another in Germany. As far as new material goes, I guess we will just keep at it. It’s hard to ever feel fully satisfied with your own music and I’m already coming up with ideas and a concept for the next full-length album. I’ve even done some new artwork, but don’t hold your breath; this won’t be seeing the light of day just yet! Right now, the songs are still festering in the crypt gathering dust. Ha.
Anyway, gigging really is the priority this year. The three of us all share a great enthusiasm and desire to just get out there and spread the unholy gospel. I feel like right now we are as close to indestructible as we can be and could play anywhere we are asked. The idea of playing outside in the woods at night really fucking appeals to us! Also, if you know of a booking agent who specialises in graveyards, battlefields or catacombs…we are your guys.
Swell! Anything you want to end this interview with?
Well, just try and have a good time…all the time. Thanks for having us guys!
Follow Possessor’s exploits here and pick up their albums and merch here.
D&S Interviews
Lord Dying
By Melissa (D&S Midwest>
Lord Dying is currently on a series of North American shows with the mighty Anvil. On February 27th, the Portland foursome played the Fifth Quarter Lounge (SunLord also performed). Having just reviewed their new album ‘Poisoned Altars’ (2015 - Relapse Records), Melissa was excited to catch up with frontman Eric Olson and guitarist Chris Evans for an interview (she said the guys were really chill - and the photos above are hers). Following is a transcript of their cozy little conversation. (BillyGoat)
You just put out your second record 'Poisoned Altars.’ I’ve been a Lord Dying fan since 2013 and the new album is everything I would have expected. I find that a lot of bands seem to struggle with the second record. Did you guys find it difficult to create something new for your fans, while staying true to yourselves?
Erik: I would say no. I think it was a lot of fun creating that album. We knew we were gonna have an awesome label to help put it out. So when we were working on it, we knew all those songs would exist on an album, so we really wanted something that would be cohesive, you know? We wanted something much more brutal and little bit catchier, too, than the first one. I had a good time. What about you?
Chris: Yeah, we had a lot of fun writing it.
Would you do anything different with 'Poisoned Altars’ or would you leave it the way it is?
Chris: if we had more time…
Erik: Yeah, if we had more time, that’d be cool. The guy that was on drums learned the songs in four weeks before the recording, because when we got back from Europe our drummer decided he had to part ways. He would’ve played on the record, but we wanted the new guy to learn those. And he ended up quitting, too! (laughs) After we did our tour with Corrosion of Conformity, I guess some life shit came up and he had to not be in a touring band anymore. But yeah, if we had more time that’d be cool.
With these lineup changes, even though they aren’t huge changes, did that affect things musically?
Erik: No, not really. Me and Chris write everything. So it wasn’t really that big of a deal. I mean, it’s nice to have a chemistry with everyone and I think it gets better once you play and tour together. It was definitely brand new with him. But he’s an old friend of ours too, so it meshed very well. And he used to play with Dark Castle and YOB. Yeah, he’s great.
You’ve worked with Joel Grind, from Toxic Holocaust. He seems like arguably the coolest dude on the planet. What was that like?
Erik: He’s pretty cool. We’ve been friends for a while. We thought he’d be a good fit. He lives in Portland, he’s a good friend of ours and a fan of Lord Dying. We love the production that he’s got on Toxic Records, and we wanted something like that - something really big. We knew this one was gonna be really aggressive and have more thrash and death influences…it just seemed like a perfect fit.
Speaking of cool experiences, last year you guys toured with Red Fang and The Shrine - over in Europe no less. Was that your first tour in Europe?
Erik: It was, yeah. It was really fun.
Everyone says Europe is different in every way.
Erik: It is. It’s awesome over there. We love playing here in America, too. A lot of the drives are shorter, and it’s more traditional dealing with promoters and stuff. It’s just crazy how well they treat the bands - nice hotel rooms and all that. It’s definitely different than here. Also, the shows are a lot earlier, which is kind of weird. Then later, the shows will turn into a rave type thing. Electronic music is huge in Europe.
Well, Europeans seem more open minded than us. Americans, generally seem like they know what they want to listen to and they don’t want to stray away from that at all.
Erik: Yeah it’s way different over there with the festivals and everything. They’ve always supported metal over there, even in the 90’s when it started to die down a little bit over here, but it didn’t die down over there at all.
Portland seems to have one of the best metal scenes in America. In fact, we made a compilation album of bands in Portland, featuring your song “In A Frightened State of Gnawed Dismemberment.” All in all, we had 75 tracks on the compilation.
Erik: Yeah, that was a monster!
Have you found that just being located in such a great area helped you to succeed?
Erik: I wouldn’t really say we’re succeeding because of the scene, but being from Portland and knowing so many bands definitely helped. It’s interesting, we go to Europe and nobody knows a thing about Portland. We just say, “We’re between Seattle and Los Angeles on the West Coast.” (laughs) But in America, I think there are a lot of eyes on the Portland scene.
What are your thoughts in the underground doom and sludge scene? It seems to be gaining more popularity, but still seen as a trendy, hipster movement.
Erik: Yeah, it’s weird. And we never set out to be a part of this scene. We just wanted to write heavy fucking metal. And suddenly we’re a sludge band, but I’ve always liked bands like Eyehategod and High On Fire. But when I think of doom, I think of something different. Of course, you got your more traditional stuff, but the doom that seems to be most popular today is really slow and really heavy. But, it’s definitely a worldwide phenomenon. The hipster thing? I guess. We don’t really give a fuck what people look like.
Yeah, and it drives me mad when people just label so many things that way. It just feels like that’s their way of not stepping out of their comfort zone because it’s something different. Anyway, this is pretty cool, seeing you guys play with Anvil. This is a pretty extensive tour, going on through the end of March.
Erik: Yeah man, it’s been a lot of fun!
Do you enjoy playing with a band that might bring a different audience than you would?
Erik: This was the first time we’ve ever done that. Yeah it’s been fun. It’s also a weird time of the year to do that. There’s a snowstorm happening right now. I’m really stoked all these people came out. If it snowed like this in Portland, NO ONE would be at that show. (laughs) Actually, the show would probably be canceled.
We’re just used to it!
Erik: We’re just like, “Oh shit! We gotta drive in this mess!”
So whats next for Lord Dying?
Erik: We’re doing some touring and writing some stuff. We’re all getting used to the new drummer. Just a lot of touring for this new album. Hopefully, we’ll go to some new countries, even some new continents! Touring, touring, touring. That’s what we do. Too dumb to stop!
That’s what we like to hear! Any last words for your fans?
Erik: Thanks for coming out!
Album art by Andrei Bouzikov for the upcoming album by Portland’s WERESQUATCH, entitled Frozen Void (out soon~!). The cover was inspired by John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982).
D&S Interviews: Javier Gálvez from HORN OF THE RHINO
“The music and lyrics were asking for more chaos and sonic violence.”
Horn of the Rhino is: Javier Gálvez (guitars/vocals), Sergio “Rambo” Robles (bass), and Julen Gil (drums)
Javier Gálvez, guitarist and singer of brutal sludge band Horn of the Rhino, is a man who has a vision for his music and, frankly, was a wee bit intimidating to interview. The driving force behind albums such as Grengus (2012) and Weight of Coronation (2010), Horn of the Rhino is the band that introduced me to some of the heaviest, meanest music on planet earth. Having gotten word that Horn of the Rhino was going to be releasing a fourth album called Summoning Deliverance (2014) at the end of the summer, I decided to track down Mr. Gálvez just to see if I could get an interview. What follows is our exchange.
-BillyGoat-
Photo credits: Joan Cabotti
First off, your new record is excellent. Before we talk about it, there’s a big question on our minds: what are the chances of your US fans getting to see you here on tour or in a festival before the year is over?
Glad you like the new album, thanks for your words. To play in the US is something that we want to happen, but it´s very difficult for us since we have no tour support from anybody, and the guys from Maryland Death Fest haven´t called me yet!
“We never look for controversy, the cover art is what it is. I mean, we don´t put a naked, pregnant, skull-faced woman just to show her tits, you know?"
For the new album, you worked quite closely with Nick Keller who did some incredible artwork for the cover of Summoning Deliverance (2014) and, as I understand, a booklet as well. Horn of the Rhino’s covers have always been provocative. What’s the concept behind the artwork this time and how did it influence the songwriting (or vice versa)?
All the artwork, the main illustration and the booklet, is based on the lyrics. The record is conceptual and deals with the travel of a mere mortal transforming into a demigod to destroy all life on earth, to put it simply, because there´s much more going on. Nick got the idea and concept perfectly from the beginning, I draw a sketch for the cover and he did those killer scenarios and beasts that can be seen on the album.
The album cover this time is perhaps less controversial than your first two, but all albums seem to focus on shocking monstrosities. Can we consider the previous three record a trilogy and the new album the start of a brand new saga?
We never look for controversy, the cover art is what it is. I mean, we don´t put a naked, pregnant, skull-faced woman just to show her tits, you know? Or the Grengus just to put his cock on the cover, he came to an orgy and he didn’t come with his underwear on! He´s a demon, he´s evil, and he doesn’t like clothes at all! (laughs) Obviously, we want to put great illustration on our covers, but never look for controversy. There´s always a reason to be had, could be explicit or a metaphor. And no new saga, no trilogy.
You definitely have the heavy, weighty, and low-tuned sound perfect for sludge, but there’s also quite a bit of speed with it on the new record. What made you decide to incorporate more of that (dare I say) thrash-like element into the album?
We always have had the thrash, death, black elements, along the slow stuff—always, since the beginning—but this time they´re more present because the album demanded it, the music and lyrics were asking for more chaos and sonic violence. We came from Grengus, that was a violent record, too, and kind of feel comfortable with all that malevolence. If you ask me for speed, “Waste For Ghouls” is the fastest song we have ever did.
You got some get chops, too! Who influences you vocally?
Several different singers. I can appreciate the work of Martin Van Drunnen, but I love Glenn Hughes too. Kyle Thomas, Ian Gillan, Rob Halford, Brett Hoffmann, Billy Joel, Craig Pillard, Hall & Oates.
For those of us foreigners, what’s the metal scene like in Spain? What has changed most since the band began as Rhino 7-8 years ago?
I´m enjoying a few bands around here right now like Looking For An Answer, Wormed, Moksha, but you ask me for a scene and don´t know if there is something going on, actually.
Thank you for taking timed to visit with Doomed & Stoned today!
Thanks to you for the support. Keep it brutal!!
Some mainstream coverage for Horn of the Rhino in the Spanish press, where the band is unfortunately identified as a quartet that used to be a power trio. Guess you gotta take the good with the bad, eh?
D&S Interviews: Goatwhore? Yes, GOATWHORE!
Last week, we were given the opportunity to do an interview that, while not strictly in line with the sub-genre focus of Doomed & Stoned, was just an offer too good to say ‘no’ to. So, I tapped Melissa (my right hand at Doomed & Stoned) to see if she was interested in some phone time with Ben Falgoust–you know, the man with the devious smile and menacing voice behind that God-damned atrocity, GOATWHORE. Being a fan of the raucous foursome, she was ecstatic.
Turns out, Goatwhore has deep roots in the NOLA metal scene that trace directly back to Acid Bath and Crowbar. In addition, Ben (aka Louis Benjamin Falgoust II) is also frontman for hallowed sludge-grind project Soilent Green. With that as a backdrop, give eye and ear to the filth and fury that follows!
(BillyGoat)
Pic by Catharina Christiana via Goatwhore
FIRST I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE SOUND OF GOATWHORE. YOU SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF INFLUENCE FROM MOTORHEAD, VENOM. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE YOU HEAVILY CREDIT AS A MAIN INFLUENCE?
Yeah, definitely. Motorhead and Venom are definitely huge influences of ours, as well as Celtic Frost, Judas Priest. We come from an older background with metal. There’s a lot more things that we fall back on with that. We do listen to more modern things, especially more modern black metal and things like that. But those bands are pretty much the root of everything and that’s pretty much how we evolved. We basically started with the sounds of Celtic Frost, Bathory, Venom, Motorhead. And that’s been pretty much the whole structure of the band.
YOUR LAST ALBUM “BLOOD FOR THE MASTER” WAS REAL RIFF-HEAVY AND HAD A BLACK AND ROLL KIND OF SOUND. IS THAT INDICATION OF WHAT WE CAN EXPECT TO HEAR FROM THE NEW ALBUM?
Yeah, pretty much. Everything, to me, is the next step in the proper evolution of Goatwhore. We don’t go out of our way to do anything crazy or drastic changes, or anything like that. If anything, we just evolve as a band. When I look back to every album we’ve done, from the first record all the way to now, I can see the evolution and process as our members matured and got better in their writing skills. Not saying that we’re real mature, we’re still immature in a lot of ways (laughs). But I would agree with your term “Black and roll”. We do mix early rock and roll, like Motorhead and early Judas Priest and mixed it with black metal with touches of death metal so it’s pretty evolved into the kind of style.
ABOUT THE LYRICS, I SAW THE SONG LIST FOR YOUR NEW ALBUM AND JUST BASED OFF OF THAT, THE LYRICS SEEM PRETTY EVIL AND HATEFUL. WOULD YOU AGREE THAT IT’S THE SAME WAY WITH THE NEW RECORD?
Yeah, but it’s all about how you perceive it. I guess I’m not really an evil and hateful guy. But I do start off a lot against organized religion and structures like that. Especially early in the band, but it is a reoccurring theme. As I got older, I kinda brushed that off but it’s still there in the lyrics and the concepts. Sometimes when I read the lyrics, and I know this is hard to imagine, but I see rebellious hope, in a way. Usually out a rebellious form, there is still something good that comes from it. I’m sure a lot of people perceive it as a negative or evil thing, but even with human emotion these things are building blocks to evolve yourself to doing something beyond the negativity.
I HEARD THE “FBS” SONG. WOULD YOU SAY THAT’S A GOOD TRACK TO REPRESENT THE NEW ALBUM?
I think every song we have represents the album very well. Right now there’s two songs that you can listen to, and I think both of those songs represent the album. They’re all different–there’s a lot of different things that we do so there’s a lot of variation in our style and I think even throughout our whole record there’re a lot of themes that represent us. From all our influences, from the more traditional heavy metal to black metal to death metal, so even a little crusty-grindcore-punk kinda influence in there, as well. There’s always these different variations that make up, and it does that throughout the record as well. So there’s not really one song that encompasses the entire record. To do that would be to cut it short because I think the whole record is united with all the songs. Each song is unique and has it’s own individuality. Going from structuring it as writers–Sammy writing the guitar riffs and Zach doing the drum patterns, James throwing in the bass–every song developed is unique. We all bring different influences and different emotions so you get various elements.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SONG OFF THE NEW RECORD?
Uh, no (laughs). Not yet. I think I get to point of having a favorite song when we’re playing them live. With the last record, I think we ended playing 9 songs live at one point or another and once we start playing them live, I get a real feel for them. Overall, I end up really liking them all – they all have their own element. Whenever I get asked this, I just think….imagine that you had ten kids and you were asked to pick which one you like the most. For me, it’s just not possible to pick one because they’re all so different and so variant, and I approach them in different ways lyrically and vocally. When I get into a live setting, some of them I do tend to feed off better than others, maybe because of how it’s structured or how it works that way. And playing something new in the set is refreshing. Ya know, we’ve been some of the older stuff for years over and over, you’re just like, “Oh, here we go again!” When you stick a new one in there, you’ve got that anticipation.
YOU’RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH ERIC RUTAN TO PRODUCE YOUR NEW ALBUM AND YOU GUYS AREN'T EXACTLY NEW TO EACH OTHER. WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM LIKE?
It’s fucking really good, man. There’d be no reason to go back to working with him if we didn’t have such a good relationship and also because he’s a really excellent engineer, excellent producer. He’s just great in the studio, he has amazing ears, he can pick out things. He really compliments us and works real well with us and with our style. You know, he comes from the school of Morbid Angel, more polished, tight death metal. Of course that’s one of our influences, but we like it a little raw and a little rough. We like the mistake factor, things like that. And he’s so into that with us, it’s almost like he’s the secret fifth member of Goatwhore.
When it’s time to do your part, he’s on to you like 150%. You can do the same part a hundred times and think you’ve got it and he’s like “Nope, lets do it one more time.“