BLACK CAPRICORN Reveal Lyric Video “Sacrifice” en route to New LP
Slow, heavy riffs from Mediterranean island of Sardina today, as we bring you grim new sounds from BLACK CAPRICORN. The psychedelic doom trio’s career spans over a decade-and-a-half, forming in 2008 and dropping their self-titled debut in 2011. Now the original line-up has returned in preparation for yet another album, to be released this summer.
New six-minute single “Sacrifice” is a dirge conjuring scenes of fog-shrouded ancient rites steeped in arcane mystery and occult secrets known only by the chosen few. The lyrics and overall vibe call to mind the implications of a black capricorn, namely pessimism, cynicism, and disillusionment in the face of a broken world that removes humanity from their natural roots into artificial, soul-draining environments that demand obsequence to an industrial-technological machine.
Black Capricorn begin the ritual with dour electrified strumming that becomes darkly fuzzy, accented by stinging, witchy notes in the upper register. Frontman and guitarist Fabrizio “Kjxu” Monni narrates the scene in hushed, malevolent tones: “In the night we walk in the forest, through the path made by the Ancient Ones.”
The steady hypnotic rhythm retraces these all-but-forgotten ancestral steps, with ominous bass picking from Virginia Piras and the tribalesque drumming of Rakela Piras. As the volume rises, so does the intensity (though the pacing remains unchanged) – an exaltation of the slow ‘n’ low.
The band had this to tell us about the upcoming record:
Majestic Mountain Records believed in us once again and we are thrilled to announce the new album, the second released by the record label and the seventh of our career. We can’t wait to start this new adventure and to spread it to the world.
Get ready, as Doomed & Stoned brings you the world premiere of “Sacrifice.” Look for Black Capricorn’s 'Sacrifice…Darkness And Fire’ (2024) out in July on Majestic Mountain Records. Stick it on a playlist with Electric Wizard, Monolord, Sleep, Dopelord, and Cancervo.
Give ear…
Black Capricorn Reveal the “Secret Society of Seven”
Does a cloistered body of elite corporate & political heads secretly rule the world? BLACK CAPRICORN ushers us into the inner circle as they reveal the first single from their forthcoming fifth album, ‘Cult of Blood’ (2022).
The occult doom trio from Sardinia, Italy channel primitive Black Sabbath, Pentagram, and Saint Vitus and smokey late night vibes in relating the story to us of the “Secret Society of Seven.”
When you cross the threshold of that chamber
you feel no regret
no remorse in the inner circle
'cos we are the star chamberSecret society of seven rules!
The hound is working for you
although you’ ve never met
but you have to understand
how lethal that killer isSecret society of seven rules!
When a sentence passes the vote
you hire the killer
when blood start to flow
we feel like we’re winnersSecret society of seven rules!
“After disbanding in 2019,” Black Capricorn tells Doomed & stoned, “we’ve found ourselves in the practice room jamming some riffs and grooves. Cult of Blood combines the background and experiences of more than 10 years as a band with the attitude of the early days back in 2008.” As a longtime acolyte of the band, I couldn’t be happier.
“We are very honored to join the Majestic Mountain records family,” the band adds. “A young label that in a few years reached a very solid reputation in the worldwide heavy music underground. Can’t wait to start this new adventure together!”
More shall be revealed as we inch closer to the release of Black Capricorn’s Cult of Blood, coming in June to Majestic Mountain Records!
Give ear…
Italy Strikes Back!
Doomed & Stoned Compilation Series
The latest installment in our quarterly compilation series is here! ‘Italy Strikes Back!’ (2016) was inspired by the flurry of activity in the doom-stoner heavy underground we’ve been witnessing over the past two years (see our story here). Thanks to our Italian contributor Mari Knox Knox for heading this one up. Here’s what she has to say about the new project:
Doomed & Stoned focuses its quarterly compilation series on the Italian scene for the first time. Here are 26 tracks by 26 artists, selected among the best budding Italian bands that agreed to join the mix. Through this perfectly arranged playlist, ranging from heavy psych and stoner rock to doom and sludge metal, you will experience a journey into the most dark, lysergic, and sour sides of the Italian underground.
Special thanks go to all bands who contributed their tracks to this project and to the gifted artist Franca Vecchio, who designed a magnificent artwork just for the occasion, taking inspiration from the erotic horror Italian comics of the past.
Download “Italy Strikes Back” and DOOM ON!
-Mari Knox Knox-
Bands featured:
ARCANA 13
Atomic Mold
Black Capricorn
Bretus
Elevators to the Grateful Sky
FAVEQUAID
Gargoyle
Haunted
Indivia
KAYLETH
Kröwnn
L'IRA DEL BACCANO
Megatherium
MESSA
MR.BISON
Nudist
Organ
RAIKINAS
RAMA
Rosàrio
SATOR
SaturninE
Sonic Wolves
Temple of Dust
The Ossuary
WOWS
Art by Francesca Vecchio
*This is a free compilation. Any donations received go towards purchasing more free downloads from Bandcamp for the entire compilation series (yes, Bandcamp charges us for free downloads). Our aim is to catch the world on fire with the power of mighty riffs and downtuned devastation!
The Doomed & Stoned Show
Ave Satanis
Originally Broadcast on Devil’s Night on Grip of Delusion Radio
Playlist:
1. Cirith Ungol – “Toccata in D minor (Bach)”
2. Acid Witch – “Sabbath of the Undead”
3. Blood Ceremony – “Eldritch Dark”
4. Bloody Hammers – “The Moon-Eyed People”
5. Cirith Ungol – “Cirith Ungol”
6. Abysmal Grief – “Lord of the Funerals”
7. Doom Snake Cult – “Doom”
8. Demon Eye – “End of Days”
9. Mercyful Fate – “Desecration of Souls”
10. Devil – “Time to Repent”
11. Dopethrone – “Devil’s Dandruff”
12. Ice Princess – “Hour of Revenge”
13. Noctum – “Resurrected in Evil”
14. Sabbath Assembly – “Ave Satanas”
15. Black Capricorn – “Evil Horde of Lucifer”
16. Blackwitch Pudding – “Toke'n Man”
17. Acid Witch – “Witch House”
18. Cathedral – “Entrance to Hell”
Also streaming on Soundcloud
Listen to our archived broadcasts here.
Check out our compilation series here.
2015: The Year of Italy’s Revenge
By Billy Goate (Editor in Chief)
It’s been one hell of a year. I don’t know if I’m just paying attention more or if there’s really been a tremendous groundswell of creativity in the heavy underground, but this year - 2015 - has been like none other!
I decided to monitor several scenes around the world to see just how robust the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Music was (you know, doom metal, stoner rock - the twin styles of Black Sabbath). What I discovered was a bonafide DIY revolution, as the millennial generation joined members of the old guard in picking up their instruments, tuning low, and playing mind-blowingly heavy music.
My journey transported me on wings of sound to the great booted country of Italy, a land with a rich heritage of thrilling composers - from the spirited works of Vivaldi and Scarlatti to the bold, operatic opus of Verdi, Puccini, and Rossini. Perhaps Italy’s first “rock star” was violinist Niccolò Paganini, whose virtuosic powers stretched the limits of conventional sound and solo concerts left audiences agape with awe. Paganini earned himself the dubious reputation of being possessed by none other than the devil. This bold, innovative, and hedonistic nature of Italian musical culture has had an undeniable influence on the development of metal, with acts like Paul Chain, Death SS, and Ufomammut delivering powerful, larger-than-life statements. One simply cannot discuss Italian heavy music without taking into account this rich heritage of mind-bending, border-stretching, even rebellious sound.
Today, the underground Italian heavy music scene is witnessing unprecedented creative activity – a musical renaissance of sorts that stretches from ocean to mountainside. Italy has always had a long, proud tradition of epic doom, but this year a new generation of doomers and stoners are flourishing and have been given wonderful platforms to reach a wider audience through homegrown labels such as Argonauta Records, Blood Rock Records, Brigadisco Records, Cruz Del Sur Music, Heavy Psych Sounds, Jolly Roger Records, Taxi Driver Records, Terror from Hell Records, just to name a few. Together, they have birthed some of the year’s most vibrant records.
Here, then, are some of the notable EPs and LP’s from doom-stoner bands, released between January and December of 2015, that really stood out to me: l'anno che io chiamo “Italy’s Revenge!”
24 MOONS
Sardinia
ABYSMAL GRIEF
Genoa
ABYSSIAN
Milan
APE SKULL
Roma
ATOMIC MOLD
Verona
AWAKE THE SUN
Venice
BANTORIAK
Livorno
BEESUS
Roma
BIRCH CROWN
Gorizia
Editor’s Choice
BLACK CAPRICORN
Cagliari
BLACK INSIDE
Napoli
Editor’s Choice
BLACK OATH
Milan
BLACK RAINBOWS
Roma
Read our review here.
Editor’s Choice
BRETUS
Catanzaro
Editor’s Choice
CARONTE
Parma
CONCRETE JELLY
Trieste
CRIMSON DAWN
Milano, Verona, Ravenna
CULTRO
Roma
DARK QUARTERER
Piombino
DEADSMOKE
Roma
DESERT RIDER
Perugia
Editor’s Choice
DOOMRAISER
Roma
Read our review here.
DUSTRIDER
Roma
FIRELORD
Torino
GRAAL
Rome
Editor’s Choice
GRIME
Trieste
HELIODØME
Roma
HUMULUS
Brescia
Editor’s Choice
HYPERWÜLFF
Bologna
Read our review here.
IL VUOTO
Piacenza
Editor’s Choice
ISAAK
Genova
JUSSIPUSSI
Milan
Editor’s Choice
KAYLETH
Verona
KENOSIS
Forli
KILLER BOOGIE
Roma
LAST MINUTE TO JAFNA
Torino
LVTVM
Arcidosso
MEGATHERIUM
Verona
MONDO NAIF
Padua
MOTHER ISLAND
Vicenza
Editor’s Choice
MY HOME ON TREES
Milano
Read our review here.
MUTONIA
Ceptrano
NIBIRU
Augusta Taurinorum
Read our review here.
Editor’s Choice
NIGHT GAUNT
Roma
NINELEVEN
Sermoneta Scalo
NITEHAWKS
Editor’s Choice
NUDIST
Florence
OLD SCRATCHINESS
Pavullo nel Frignano
OJM
Maser
Editor’s Choice
ORGAN
Belluno
OSSO
Lodi
POSTVORTA
Ravenna
PREMARONE
Alessandria
Editor’s Choice
PSYCHEDELIC WITCHCRAFT
Roma
Read our review here and interview with singer Virginia Monti here.
Editor’s Choice
RETURN FROM THE GRAVE
Venice
Read our review here
RITI OCCULTI
Roma
Editor’s Choice
SATOR
Genoa
SATORI JUNK
Milan
SATURNINE
Bologna
SONS OF A BEACH (S.O.A.B.)
Torino
SOUL OF ENOCH
Genoa
Editor’s Choice
SPACE PARANOIDS
Italian Alps
TEMPLE OF DUST
Monza
THE APULIAN BLUES FOUNDATION
Bari
Editor’s Choice
THREE EYES LEFT
Bologna
THOMAS DOC
Catania
Editor’s Choice
UFOMAMMUT
A Mysterious Undisclosed Location!
Read our review here.
VAREGO
Genoa
Editor’s Choice
VEUVE
Spilimbergo
Editor’s Choice
VOID OF SLEEP
Ravenna
WEEPING SILENCE
Malta
WITCHWOOD
Forlì, Faenza
POSTSCRIPT
You’re probably wanting to know my favorites of the lot, and I admit it is hard to choose even 20 of the best, so I’ll just give you a few that jumpstarted my heart as soon as I listened to them: Black Capricorn, Bretus, Caronte, Doomraiser, My Home on Trees, Psychedelic Witchcraft, The Black Oath, and Ufomammut, to name a few clear stand-outs.
Also, you’ve probably noticed several of your favorite bands out of Italy are missing from the list, but remember this only represents the 2015 releases. Thus, bands like Epitaph, Il Malpertugio Band, Krownn, Loimann, etc. etc. are not represented here.
As you can tell, I’m leaning in the direction of doom, but for you stoner-doom and psychedelic aficionados, there is ever so much to absorb yourself in, so get lost in these wonderful offerings and continue to keep your eye on Italy as a hotbed of proflific underground talent!
Doomed & Stoned Podcast
New Doom November!
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been noticing a LOT of good doom lately. I decided to sift through some of the newer offerings and bring you some of my favorites from the month of November (with one or two tracks from earlier in the year that just now caught my attention). I start the show with a few doom-tinged stoner rock numbers and then really get into the low ‘n’ slow, down 'n’ dirty DOOM we all know and love at Doomed & Stoned!
On this nearly 3-hour mixtape:
Black Capricorn
Black Tar Prophet
Bloody Hammers
Drowning Horse
Doomdogs
Dunbarrow
Emerald Heavy
Hellhookah
IRON SWAN
King Witch
MARA
Merlin
Moon Curse
Owl
Roundtable
Salem’s Pot
Saviours
Seal Of Beleth
Temple Of Europa
Through The Stone
ThunderWhip
Tomb Of Teeth
Treeburner
Wildeornes
ZAUM
If you like what you hear, tune in Sunday at 5 pm (Pacific Standard Time), 8 pm (Eastern Standard Time) for the weekly live broadcast of The Doomed & Stoned Show, airing on Grip of Delusion Radio!
Hungry to discover more heavy underground music in the tradition of Black Sabbath? Download our quarterly scene-by-scene compilation series. Thank you for your ongoing support for the work of Doomed & Stoned: bringing you the stories of the heavy underground, reported by the underground, for the underground.
Italian Doomers Black Capricorn Drop ‘Ira Dei’
Our long-time friends in the wonderful ritualistic doom band BLACK CAPRICORN have just put up their new EP, 'Ira De’ (2015) up for download on Bandcamp for one week and one week only. “We do this record in order to collect some money for the next year European tour,” the band states
I’m jamming it right now and I’m loving every dark, unholy, fuzzy, down-tuned moment of it! Suggest you grab this one up while you can if you’re a digital kid like me.