Well ‘Beak Freaks, it’s your old boy Waldo here to like spew some venom all over some new releases, well, maybe, I MIGHT actually like some of these, you never know until you read on, so read on…
So, there’s a band called Methra and they are releasing Acolyte on Battleground, and I have to say, I INSTANTLY was drawn to the name, because, you know meth and stoner doom go hand in hand. So, like I said, this is stoner doom, and it is heavy. I actually like this, but I’m not really sure what to make of it. Watching the video confuses me: there are two dudes dressed in robes (of course) and they take swords and destroy Orange amplifiers and a hammer on a Peavey amp. I mean, I assume this is a little tongue in cheek, which needs to happen in metal, I mean, you know, what would you expect from “two fat weirdos who believe in making heavy music for heavy people”? 6 Fucking Pecks.
I usually like things on Willowtip, it’s a great label, for the most part, everything released is pretty good. And, referencing In Reverence Forever by Mephistopheles, it’s just ok. This is ex members of Spawn of Possession and Psycroptic, so it’s death metal. This is called blackened death metal, but I really don’t hear too much black metal influence. There is, however, a very strong jazzy/technical death metal vibe going on here, and while this is good, it’s not incredible, but maybe it’s just not really my thing. One thing that sticks out to me is the vocals; they are really guttural and are full sounding. There’s nothing to really hate on here and the production keeps this from sounding sterile and allows it to maintain a freshness not always found in this style. The album cover, though, I dunno… 5 Fucking Pecks.
Richmond’s Inter Arma is coming on strong with Paradise Gallows. This band is hard to peg: part doom, part death, with some grind bits and punk parts thrown in. They could easily be the new Swans or the new Neurosis, without coming across as sounding like anyone but Inter Arma. To call them experimental is a little off, as this is a visceral, heavy record. The one complaint is that the production is a little “warm” and could be a little more crisp. Anyway, I’m pecking digging this… 8 Fucking Pecks.
‘Til next time… Waldo out!
