Funeral Rain Press Corps

Genres: Doom, Sludge
Label: Ecophagy Records

This review here is an oddity for me. First up, I got it from Clawhammer PR, which isn’t odd. But HOW I got it from them is: the singer of the band, Jarret Keene, specifically asked Clawhammer to ask me to do the review. I feel honored, Jarret.
Now, the music contained within this album: wow. Picture Black Sabbath sped up a little, with some High on Fire thrown in, maybe some Orange Goblin too. It’s definitely a classic style of doom, traditional to the core, but touches of sludge are in this too. Fucking great primitive nuclear METAL.
You can tell that Jarret is new to the guitar, because of the rawness of the riffs, the sound, everything, and it does not detract at all. The fact that he’s self-taught and has barely been playing for a year adds to the music, and his doctorate in English makes the lyrics that much more potent. He can throw down more metaphors and similes than most lyricists.
Jaq and Jessie’s drums and bass keep this rhythmic monster solid and gorgeously slow, while pounding the horrors of nuclear Armageddon into my conscious and subconscious. I don’t think I’ll sleep proper for awhile after listening to this.
If you want to take a trip through a nuclear wasteland covered in people succumbing to the horrors of radiation, starvation, and worse of all each other, take a trip with Dead Neon. It’s fucking awesome, and I know this is going to be on my own Top 10 for awhile.
My favorite songs are “Doom Town”, “Cancer Eater”, and the folked up album closer “Ride the Light”.
10 out of 10.

Dead Neon on MySpace.

Genres: Doom, Stoner Metal
Label: Metal Blade

Bison B.C. are one of Vancouver’s best exports, laying a metallic swath across the continent that flattens even the most hardy of headbanger.
A heavy as hell mix of Sabbathian doom and Mastodon’s stoner riffage with the power of High on Fire.
In fact, I’d say Bison and High on Fire are pretty much soul brothers in the genre. A wall of crushing guitars that, after seeing both bands live, I think has caused permanent hearing damage. Especially since Bison’s show was in such a small club.
But I digress. This is about Dark Ages. This album is fucking heavy, and that includes the lyrics. Songs about Vancouver, what seems to be family abuse (I could be interpreting these lyrics wrong; they’re really well written), and of course, continuing the story of the Wendigo (we’re into Part 3 now with this album). My favorite song is “Melody, This is for You”, with “Fear Cave” taking the second spot.
In all, despite kicking a ton of ass, Dark Ages is like most stoner/doom albums: It doesn’t show the awesome majesty of the live show. If you get the chance to see these guys live, DO IT!
7.5 out of 10.

Bison B.C. on MySpace.

We have been blessed with a massive offering from the gods! For the first time ever the debut recordings of drone purveyours Earth are available in one concise, beautifully documented capsule. A Beaurocratic Desire For Extra Capsular Extraction contains the entire 1990 Smegma Studios sessions which are the debut recordings from Earth.

Previously available scattered via the Extra Capsular Extractions EP and Sunn Amps and Smashed Guitars CD, this essential collection contains every note from the infamous first Earth recording sessions. All 7 tracks have been carefully remastered by Mell Dettmer. It is actually questionable what mastering if any was done on the original tracks so we entrusted the task into the very capable hands of Mell who has mastered all the other Earth releases via Southern Lord. Bearing exclusive artwork by Simon Fowler and package design via Stephen O’Malley, the end result is a burly, mammoth and crushing audio experience that makes this collection a must have even for the diehards that own previous versions of these recordings.

Earth was founded by Dylan Carlson circa 1989, and in its infant stages contained several different members including Slim Moon (Kill Rock Stars label), Joe Preston (Thrones, Melvins, sunn 0))), High on Fire) and even Dylan’s close friend Kurt Kobain. Unbeknownst to Mr. Carlson at the time was that his seemingly simplistic experimentation with heavy music would literally spawn an entire genre, style and sound borrowing from his musical theories. This collection of the very first recordings is an important insight into understanding the birth of this sound; a foreshadowing of the thunder to come.

Track Listing:
1. A Bureaucratic Desire for Revenge, part 1 7:22
2. A Bureaucratic Desire for Revenge, part 2 6:38
3. Ouroboros Is Broken 18:19
4. Geometry of Murder 7:22
5. German Dental Work 5:20
6. Divine and Bright 3:02
7. Dissolution 1 7:11

Genres: Doom, Sludge, Stoner Metal
Label: Relapse Records

How does Matt Pike top Blessed Black Wings? With Death Is This Communion.
It’s an even more focused album, even doomier and sludgier than the last. Better songwriting and even better lyrics, still based on H.P. Lovecraft but also the Bible and some other inspiration source that I cannot remember right now. Plus, the cover art even features a cute little Cthulhu.
And, to make me even happier, it’s two songs longer than Blessed…, two of which are instrumentals.
So yeah. It’s fucking awesome.
9.5 out of 10.

Genres: Doom, Sludge, Stoner Metal
Label: Relapse Records

Opening with a monster of a song in “Devilution”, High on Fire’s Blessed Black Wings seems hellbent to destroy all preconceptions of stoner metal.
Quite frankly, I think it succeeds. It’s got the speeds of death metal with the riffs of doom and the lyrical subject matter that would make J.RR. Tolkien, Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft smile. In fact, two of my favorite tracks from the album, “Face of Oblivion” and “Cometh Down Hessian”, are based on H.P. Lovecraft stories.
The solos are fast and long, the riffs crushing, and for anyone who’s heard High on Fire before or seen them live, it’s all done fucking LOUD.
In all though, I still think Blessed should have been a longer album. It’s only eight songs, clocking in at like 54 minutes. Another song or two would have been great. It’s still satisfying, but it would be more if it were longer. Apparently the Japanese vinyl version has a cover of Judas Priest’s “Rapid Fire” on it as well, which I would love to hear.
8 out of 10.

High on Fire on MySpace.