Genre: Doom, Drone
Label: Conspiracy Records

A band name never fit so well with the music they produce. After listening to Ausserwelt for about ten minutes, I felt like I was trapped in a pitch black sub basement of some abandoned saw mill for at least a year. Needless to say with my state of depression brought on by Year Of No Light, I didn’t actually want to finish listening to Ausserwelt.

The next day, I gave Ausserwelt another shot. And yet again, it brought me down with it’s heavy droning doom. I guess it goes without saying that this is one powerful piece of metal! I know that music in most if it’s forms can affect the people who listen to it, but Year Of No Light must of discovered some sort of top-secret endorphin draining frequency or something.

As for my actual feelings towards the album go, I’m a bit mixed. Yes, it’s as I said, powerful. And I’m no stranger to droning, depressing doom (thought it isn‘t one of my favorite genres). But there’s something about Ausserwelt that’s just a little… off. And not like a “trendy” or “ultra protools” off. More like an, “I’ve heard this before almost exactly but I couldn’t tell you where from” sort of way. Ausserwelt isn’t bad by any means, it’s just a little reminiscent/familiar for the wrong reasons. For me at least.

Overall: Year Of No Light built a flip switch in your emotional core, called it Ausserwelt and decided to dick with it until you need to come back to it like a drug crazy homeless person, scrambling to score another hit of depressing droningness. Just don’t expect anything ground breaking and you’ll do just fine.

7/10

Year Of No Light On MySpace

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Genres: Avant-Garde, Black Metal, Dark Ambient, Drone
Label: Shadowgraph Records

Another new offering from Aderlating, Devotional Hymns is an instant classic. Some of the creepiest soundscapes Mories has ever put onto disc with some extremely violent sounding vocals, and I’m happy. It’s no wonder why Aderlating has quickly become one of my favourite bands.
The ambience is far from boring, but rather atmospheric and unnerving, like Burzum crossed with Mark Snow. It’s fucking awesome. The whole thing is a trip to listen to, an experience I recommend completely.
If only this was available on vinyl.
9 out of 10.

Aderlating on MySpace.

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Genre: Drone
Label: Black Drone

Another CD-R I never expected in my mail box, CrepusculaR arrived from the label that released it. The disc itself features relatively boring drones that are not all that original.
White noise covers most of what’s going on, with some really low bass under it, and keyboard sounds that sometimes sound like keyboards, not just drones. But for some reason, I don’t feel it. I like drone for the most part, even writing some of my own, and this band I just cannot get into. I don’t know why.
I feel horrible for saying this, but it is how I feel about it. If you’re looking for good drone, don’t go to CrepusculaR’s Deep Slow Majesty. There’s better stuff out there, probably from CrepusculaR themselves. But this disc just isn’t really worth it unless you’re a hardcore drone fan, which I’m not.
4 out of 10.

CrepusculaR on MySpace.

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Genre: Doom, Drone, Sludge, Stoner
Label: Nomadic Fortress

So fucking wow. Not even done the first SONG and I’m thinking I know what this monster is going to get rated.
Then it gets even better.
Slow and heavy riffs that pay as much homage to Black Sabbath and Sunn O))) as to The Clash or The Sex Pistols (in spirit, not style), this is some seriously wicked awesome doomed out sludge. Something to smoke to, that’s for damn sure, and I think I’m going to try sleeping to it. It’s kind of relaxing in a violent sort of way.
Favorite song is definitely “Contempt”, with “Work Will Make Us Free” and “Hiroshima” following close behind.
After hearing hearing Throned in Blood I feel sorry for other doom and sludge bands. They’re going to have to step up their game to keep up with Amber and Edgar now. And fuck this is going to rule live. Earplugs might actually be an option for me if they make it to Edmonton again. But probably not because hearing aids are cool.
Just remember folks, April 6, 2010 this nuclear bomb of doom will drop on us. Grab it while it’s hot hot hot.
9.5 out of 10

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Genres: Ambient, Doom, Drone
Label: Bindrune Recordings

So here’s another review for Bindrune Recordings, a label that instantly became a favorite of mine the second I heard Wodensthrone’s Loss (review).
When I got the opportunity to review the new Blood of the Black Owl, I was fairly excited. And with reason. This is a well regarded band, on a well regarded label.
But when I started to listen to A Banishing Ritual, I must admit, I was a little disappointed. It seemed, at first, just like any other ambient/drone album. 41 minutes of the same shit does get tiring even for me.
Then it got to the 13 minute and 14 or so second mark. And that’s when I really took notice. It’s like Blood of the Black Owl decided to weed out the asshats for fifteenish minutes, and whoever is left listening to the rest will be blown away.
This is one of the finest examples of this kind of music I’ve heard so far. Haunting vocals and some of the doomiest riffs and gorgeous soundscapes follow.
I love it.
Apparently it’s for fans of Ruhr Hunter, The Elemental Chrysalis (both of those bands feature members of Blood of the Black Owl), Neurosis, Celtic Frost, and Swans. But I think fans of My Dying Bride, November’s Doom, The 11th Hour, and Moss will find something to A Banishing Ritual that they enjoy as well.
7.5 out of 10.

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