Full Album Stream: Bell Witch: Longing – new album

Listen to one of the heaviest and saddest doom metal albums you will hear all year, ‘Longing’ by BELL WITCH, in its emotionally-draining entirety here, at CVLT Nation. BELL WITCH, comprised of bassist and vocalist Dylan Desmond (also of LETHE and SAMOTHRACE fame), and drummer and vocalist Adrian Guerra (also of LETHE), who first impressed with their self titled 2011 demo (available below in full), have already become known as one of the heaviest sounding doom metal bands in America today.

“ ‘Longing’ is about as bleak of a sonic picture as a doom metal album can get. This is a time-stretching album (which features guest vocals by Erik Moggridge of AERIAL RUIN Ruin on the track ‘Rows’) that depicts sadness, suffering, and despondency like none other. Through Desmond's down-tuned bass pulsations along with his lamentations that work in conspiracy with Guerra's warhammers and his cavernous growls, ‘Longing’ is an epic work that will become realized as that emotional sledgehammer of self-reflection and despair,” [offers the label, Profound Lore Records]

“Dylan Desmond lends his considerably heavy tones to proceedings whilst Adrian Guerra fills the spaces left by the mournful essence of this group with light touches of cymbal and the occasional mighty pounding needed to carry ‘Longing’ into ever increasing despair. BELL WITCH are intensely sorrowful and ‘Longing’ is the most aptly titled record heard this year. … This record is unrelenting in the sense that when you think you’ve reached a point of wanting to let go, to give up, and for it to be forever, it brings you to a place you never thought possible. A place even further away than ever imagined. It’s bleak and it’s terrifying in its quest for an end and for that, it is beautiful.” [Read the rest of CVLT Nation's review of ‘Longing’ here]

Become a proud owner of Seattle's duo ‘Longing’ here (Profound Lore Records' store). ‘Longing’ is out now, November 13th, 2012.

Whitechapel: Possibilities Of An Impossible Existence – new video

‘Possibilities Of An Impossible Existence’, directed by Strati Hovartos, comes off one of my favourite this year's releases, WHITECHAPEL's self-titled fourth full-length. Issued through Metal Blade Records, ‘Whitechapel’ was produced by WHITECHAPEL and Mark Lewis who engineered and mixed the album as well. The album which debuted at number 47 on the Billboard's Top 200 Chart was received well by music critics and got even noticed by New York Times:

“They [WHITECHAPEL] build unforgiving walls of riff, and unpleasant ones too. Pleasure’s not the point, though. There is a militaristic certainty to WHITECAPEL's work, which activates the true thrills of masochism.”

“When metal historians look back at the era of deathcore, one band that will undoubtedly stand out from the rest is WHITECHAPEL. On top of being one of the biggest acts in the scene, and also having probably helped sculpt the genre, the Tennessee six-piece are one of the few acts really giving the oft-dismissed sub-genre a stamp of credibility – and their new, self-titled release promises to further solidify that,” [added Andrew Kapper, About.com – read the rest here]

The album's artwork was created by Aaron Marsh of Forefathers Group with art direction provided by WHITECHAPEL themselves (the cover being an image of the flag of the band's home state Tennessee). Enjoy, if you dare, the track ‘Hate Creation’ below and download the beast free of charge here (SoundCloud), and then look for their David Brodsky-directed video for ‘I, Dementia’ below the text. Buy WHITECHAPEL's music, T-shirts, necklaces and party packs here (Metal Blade). In related news, WHITECHAPEL will be re-releasing their full-length debut ‘The Somatic Defilement’ via Metal Blade Records in the spring of 2013.

WHITECHAPEL, formed in 2006 in Knoxville, Tennessee, named their band after an inner city district of London, famous for the infamous Jack The Ripper's killings and mutilations of aforementioned city's prostitutes. The group released their debut studio album, ‘The Somatic Defilement’ (in simple words: the polluting of the body), in 2007 through Candlelight Records; a concept album on which Jack The Ripper describes (through first-person narrative) his rapes and murders. Alex Henderson (of AllMusic-fame) described the three-guitarist-led sound as “a decent dose of bombast to those who like their death metal with some acknowledgement of technical metalcore” (more here). After signing with Metal Blade Records, WHITECHAPEL released their second full-length, 2008's ‘This Is Exile’; the album debuted at number 118 on the U.S. Billboard Top 200 chart, with the first week sales reaching 5,900 copies:

“The “heavy, choppy chromatic riffs wrapped around an indecipherable monster voice” style that fuels the genre is well utilized, but around every corner is a sneaky melodic lead, time-signature change, or smart production trick that elevates ‘This Is Exile’ above the usual death/metalcore sonic assault,” [was of opinion James Christopher Monger, AllMusic – more here]

Lyrics-wise, 2010's ‘A New Era Of Corruption’ dealt with social ills (devolution of society, violence, hate and corruption) and personal issues. Chino Moreno of DEFTONES and Vincent Benett of THE ACACIA STRAIN have contributed vocals on a couple of album's tracks. ‘A New Era Of Corruption’ has sold over 10,000 copies in its first week of release in the U.S. alone, and debuted at number 43 on the Billboard Top 200 chart.Following the release, WHITECHAPEL longtime drummer Kevin Lane left in favour of education, and new drummer Ben Herclorode joined in as his replacement. In 2011, the band released an EP entitled ‘Recorrupted.

WHITECHAPEL features: Phil Bozeman – vocals, Ben Savage – guitar, Zach Householder – guitar, Alex Wade – guitar, Ben Harclerode – drums and Gabe Crisp – bass

 

Relapse Sampler 2012 – free music, courtesy Relapse Records

“Relapse Records is proud to present the most eclectic heavy music sampler of 2012 featuring highlights from all of Relapse Records' releases on the year [including PIG DESTROYER, WEAPON, BARONESS, ROYAL THUNDER, CHRISTIAN MISTRESS, SERPENTINE PATH, INVERLOCH, DYING FETUS, MURDER CONSTRUCT, SPAWN OF POSSESSION, HORSEBACK, LOCRIAN, LIBERTEER and DEATH]  plus a preview of what’s in store for next year.”

 

They offer us, the listeners, the finest bands in grind, death, ambient, progressive, sludge and doom completely free of charge here (BandCamp), they throw in a digital booklet as well, for they want us to “impress our friends and destroy our ear drums!”.

Anaal Nathrakh: Vanitas – new album

Candlelight Records deemed November the 6th, 2012 an appropriate date to unshackle the soundtrack for Armageddon, the audial essence of evil, hatred and violence, the true spirit of necro taken to its musical extremes, (“RIP-MY-FUCKING-HEAD-OFF-AND-USE-IT-AS-A-FUCKING-KICK-BALL-THEN-STICK-IT-IN-A-FUCKING-CANNON-AND-SHOOT-IT-INTO-FUCKING-OUTER-FUCKING-SPACE!!!”) ANAAL NATHRAKH, upon North America. Not one of my best and brightest blogging moments, since I’ve completely missed the album's European release which occurred on October 15th 2012, you are advised to buy ‘Vanitas’, produced by Mick Kenney, here (ANAAL NATHRAKH official store), here (Candlelight USA) or here (Candlelight UK). If still unsure how to pronounce your favourite band's name, let Merlin (yes, the magician) himself instruct you here (YouTube). But firstly, get violated by listening to the full ‘Vanitas’ here (BandCamp).

“[According to vocalist Dave Hunt, ANAAL NATHRAKH's seventh album sounds like:] someone showing you what the end of the world is like via the medium of a thousand hammers soaked in acid. It’s more articulate and focused than any album before it in way of composition and recording technique. We worked hard and we’re convinced it has paid off”

Taking their cue from Norwegian black metal bands such as MAYHEM and BURZUM, musician, artist, and producer Mick Kenney (ex-MISTRESS, ex-FROST…) and vocalist Dave Hunt (ex-MISTRESS, BENEDICTION) formed ANAAL NATHRAKH in 1999 in Birmingham, England and, we are told, succeeded pushing England back into the forefront of global musical extremity in the process. The band that named itself after Merlin's (yes, the magician) charm for “serpent's breath”, recorded two demos before delivering its first album, ‘The Codex Necro’ in 2001 through Mordgrimm Records in Europe and Earache Records in U.S.:

“More astounding still, this incredibly radical and complex sonic vision (think MINISTRY on crack, piped up straight from the very depths of hell) was the work of but two men: the demonic duo of vocalist V.I.T.R.O.L. [David Hunt] and self-sufficient songwriter, guitarist, bassist, and drums/keyboards programmer Irrumator [Mick Kenney], both of whom had spent the better part of three years orchestrating this inexorable, sensory-overloading debut,” [commented AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia - more here]

‘Total Fucking Necro’, a compilation album made up of the pair's first two demos, followed in 2002 via Rage Of Achilles. 2003's EP ‘When Fire Rains Down From The Sky, Mankind Will Reap As It Has Sown’ (Mordgrimm Records), featuring guest appearances by guitarist Set Teitan and vocalist Attila Csihar, was reissued in 2006 by Earache Records featuring three additional tracks. Described as “just what the doctor ordered for fans of ANAAL NATHRAKH” by Mr. Eduardo Rivadavia, the venerable music critic continued to applaud the band for their second studio album ‘Domine Non Es Dignus’, released in 2004 via Season Of Mist Records and available for your listening pleasure below. Buy here (Season Of Mist):

“Really, it isn’t every day one can describe a black metal album as immediate, but ‘Domine Non Es Dignus’ comes as close to accomplishing that feat as anything so extreme-sounding could feasibly be expected to. Which is to say, it’s very, very good.” [Read the rest here]

‘Eschaton’, third album featuring guest appearances by NAPALM DEATH's Shane Embury and vocalist Attila Csihar, came out in 2006 on Season Of Mist.The formidable duo turned to bassist Shane Embury again on 2007's ‘Hell Is Empty, And All the Devils Are Here’, as well as to CIRCLE OF DEAD CHILDREN's Joe Horvath and EXPLODER's Dirty Von Donovan:

“The riffs on songs like ‘Until The World Stops Turning’ and ‘Virus Bomb’, even as they roar past at 1,000 bpm, are almost catchy, in an extreme metal sort of way. One could even imagine singing along with the chorus of the latter track, as it approaches a DIMMU BORGIR-like accessibility,” [tried his luck reviewing ANAAL NATHRAKH's work AllMusic's Phil Freeman - more here]

ANAAL NATHRAKH changed labels in 2009, hoping that with Candlelight Records' help they could “finally get the planet cracked in half”. They gave it their best shot on ‘In The Constellation Of The Black Widow’, judged by AllMusic's Phil Freeman thusly:

“This is a fierce and unrelenting album unlikely to appeal to anyone who doesn’t like being shrieked at for 35 minutes at a time, but there’s subtlety within the sonic maelstrom. Voices are heard in the distant reaches of the mix like lost souls calling out in Hell as the larger roar overwhelms, with guitar solos and drum (machine) breaks emerging from the waves of audio hate,” [read the rest here]

In 2011, the nefarious duo “re-vomited results of an 18-month journey through slings, arrows and outrageous misfortune”. ‘Passion’, an encoded vision of agony due, accommodated contributions of twisted misanthropy from Rainer Landfermann (PAVOR, BETLEHEM), Alan Dubin (KHANATE) and GNAW THEIR TONGUES:

“… ‘Pasion’ explores new ways to alter and expand ANAAL NATRAKH's already improbably vast vocabulary for all things excessive, driven as always by the positively nightmarish visions of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Mick Kenney. Both his compositional and instrumental capabilities receive frighteningly stunning showcases in the album's first pair of miniaturized, industrial black metal mini-symphonies: the majestically hellacious ‘Volenti Non Fit Iniuria’, and the spectacularly titled ‘Drug-Fucking Abomination’, which doesn’t even break a blastbeat sweat until it’s had three minutes to build a Baroquely-appointed stage it can then torch to the ground,” [wrote Eduardo Rivadavia, AllMusic – read the rest here ]

ANAAL NATHRAKH features: multi-instrumentalist Mick Kenney and vocalsit David Hunt (a.k.a. V.I.T.R.I.O.L)

Full Album Stream: Horseback & Locrian: New Dominions – reissue

 

The “collaborative work of two pillars of underground blackened-doom-drone acts”, LOCRIAN and HORSEBACK, is called ‘New Dominions’ and should be listened to in its entirety here (Relapse Records' SoundCloud) or here (Paste Magazine):

“Both acts are well loved for their own flavors of wholly original smoldering blackened drone, but combining forces finds them creating a beautiful piece of mysterious darkened psychedelia,” [the label states]

The recording, previously available only in an extremely! limited vinyl pressing, has been remastered by James Plotkin and expanded to include three additional tracks. Since first edition of the CD is rumored to be housed in a “gorgeous mini-LP style tip on jacket”, hurry up to pre-order ‘New Dominions’ here (Relapse Records). The album is due November 6th, 2012. Its cover artwork was painted by Denis Forkas Kostromitin.

The two regular and most appreciated visitors will know to value LOCRIAN's and HORSEBACK's previous flavours and wholly original smoldering blackened drone here and here respectively, courtesy yours truly – Noise & Stuff.

 

Nothnegal: Sins Of Our Creations – new video & Decadence – full album stream

 

 

Captain of the ship here keeps going on and on about the Maldivian Islands… well, until we set sail, let us all enjoy some Maldivian sights and sounds, courtesy NOTHNEGAL and animator Mohamed Sathom. ‘Sins Of Our Creations’ comes from the Maldivian metallers' debut full-length, ‘Decadence’, streamed in its entirety here (BandCamp). Issued through Season Of Mist in January/February 2012, the album awaits you at Season Of Mist e-shop. Alongside the band's founders, cousins and guitarists Hirlarl and Fufu, and bassist Hamad, ‘Decadence’ features drummer Kevin Talley (DÅÅTH, ex-CHIMAIRA, ex-DYING FETUS, ex-MISERY INDEX) and Finnish keyboard player Marco Sneck (KALMAH, POISONBLACK). The album's artwork was created by Philippine designer Michael Vincent Manalo.

“The Maldive Islands evoke images of an insular paradise before the eyes of a stranger. Like a double row of pearls hundreds of coral islands forming 26 atolls spread from north to south in the gentle breeze of the Indian Ocean. At first the hard sound of metal seems a contradiction to picturesque white beaches, palm trees and blue sunny skies. Yet now NOTHNEGAL are embarking to teach the world otherwise with their international debut album,” [offers the press release]

 

NOTHNEGAL was founded in 2006 by guitarists Hirlarl and Fufu on the capital island Malé. The band had endured quite a few lineup changes before stabilizing enough to record their debut release, 2009's 4-track EP ‘Antidote To Realism’. Mixed by Finnish producer Anssi Kippo, NOTHNEGAL released the recording for free through the internet. The band supported FINNTROLL and ROTTING CHRIST on their 2010 European tour covering 25 cities in 12 countries.

NOTHNEGAL features: Affan – vocals, Fufu – vocals and guitar, Hilarl – guitar, Hamad – bass, Kevin Talley – drums and Marco Sneck – keyboards

 

Full Album Stream: Early Graves: Red Horse – new album

 

Brooklyn Vegan is streaming the new EARLY GRAVES album ‘Red Horse’ right here right now. The album, the band's first since the tragic death of founding member singer Makh Daniels two years ago, is out now, October 30th, 2012 through No Sleep Records. EARLY GRAVES recorded the follow up to 2010's ‘Goner’ with their new singer John Strachan at Louder Studios with producer Tim Green:

“After enduring every shitstorm the proverbial “universe” can throw at us for last few years, we are extremely excited to be releasing our new batch of burners on No Sleep Records,” [said guitarist Chris Brock] “No Sleep Records may not seem like a likely landing spot for a band like us, but No Sleep release music that they care about and want to work with, which is something we can definitely get behind. I won’t bore with you with a “our new album sounds like mixed with this mixed with that” or “it’s heavier, faster, more melodic” bullshit, but I will say that we are happy to be releasing it with a label that likes it as much as we do.”

There you go then; listen to it and if you like what you hear, buy the record here (No Sleep Records).

 

EARLY GRAVES was started by vocalist Makh Daniels, guitarist Chris Brock, bassist Tyler Jensen, and drummer Dan Sneddon in San Francisco in 2007. In 2008, the group headed to Nashville, Tennessee to record their debut album with producer and former TODAY IS THE DAY member Steve Austin. ‘We: The Guillotine’ was released on Metal Blade imprint Ironclad the same year. Listen to full recording here (BandCamp) or below:

 

EARLY GRAVES: We: The Guillotine

 

In 2010 EARLY GRAVES returned with ‘Goner’. The album was recorded at Louder Studios with Tim Green:

“The result is a ragged, pissed off amalgamation of heavy self-medication, year long blackouts and all the depression of an a thousand yard stare,” [explained vocalist Makh Daniels upon its release:] “The last couple years have been kinda rough for most of us, you hit times in your life when shit is basically spiraling out of control and you try to reign it in but it just doesn’t ever seem to work so you drink it away. Basically you dig yourself further in the hole because you don’t know any other way. A lot of the lyrics, while not being a concept record, have a lot of the same themes of loneliness and depression and substance abuse running through each song. I think us as a band getting together and writing these songs and writing these lyrics got out a lot of bad dark shit that has been under the surface for all of us. Like an exorcism of sorts. I hope maybe this record will connect with some people who are goin’ through the same kinda shit.”

“Of course, albums this unapologetically vicious aren’t everyone's cup of tea; ‘Goner’ isn’t for those who only like their metal with a lot of melody and plenty of nuance, but it’s an exciting, if predictable, listen if one is in the mood for some truly bombastic sensory assault,” [added Alex Henderson, AllMusic – read the rest here as you listen to the recording here (BandCamp) or below:]

 

EARLY GRAVES: Goner

 

A tragedy struck during the band's North American tour with THE FUNERAL PYRE when the band's van lost control and crashed in Oregon; Makh Daniels was sadly pronounced dead at the scene:

“By many accounts, “EARLY GRAVES' Makh Daniels was a passionate, kind man, as well as a ferocious vocalist who lived for the road. That he died in a van accident a little more than two years ago while on tour with the FUNERAL PYRE is just a reminder that sometimes the best die young. But to live as exuberantly as the departed did is a powerful tribute, and the members of the metal band EARLY GRAVES have continued on with FUNERAL PYRE vocalist John Strachan stepping in for Daniels on tour - and, now, on their third album, ‘Red Horse’. According to Strachan, ‘Pure Hell’ [see below] is “a song dedicated to Makh; he always had that pure hell back patch. So I wrote this for him and the way he lived.” [From NPR Music]

EARLY GRAVES features: Chris Brock – vocals and guitar, Dan Sneddon – drums, Tyler Jensen – guitar, Matt O’Brien – bass and John Strachan – vocals

 

 

Machine Head: Imperium – new video & Machine Fucking Head Live – new live album

Metal establishment known as MACHINE HEAD will be releasing their second live effort, ‘Machine Fucking Head Live’, on November 13th, 2012 via Roadrunner Records. But before you rush to pre-order the two-CD set here and the deluxe digital edition with four bonus tracks here (Roadrunner Records store), make use of a preview available to you above in form of ‘Imperium’ video. ‘Machine Fucking Head Live’ was recorded at various tour stops across the globe last year. It includes songs from throughout the band's expansive catalog, including crowd favorites like ‘Imperium’, ‘Aesthetics Of Hate’, ‘Locust’, ‘Ten Ton Hammer’, ‘This Is the End’ and ‘Halo’. It was mixed and mastered at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California by Juan Urteaga and the group's co-founder, guitarist and vocalist Robb Flynn:

“MACHINE HEAD's studio albums rule,” [expressed an opinion Phil Freeman who rules the Roadrunner Records site:] We all know this. But honestly, you’ve got to experience this band's music in the live setting. MACHINE HEAD has spent nearly two full decades establishing itself as one of the best live acts in the hard rock and metal world, bringing venues and crowds to their knees night after night, for years at a stretch. Few, if any, of their peers can deliver the type of sweat-soaked, deafening and totally punishing live sets that the band delivers with near-religious fervor, in their native U.S. and across the globe.”

But, before ‘Machine Fucking Head Live’ there was ‘Unto The Locust’; MACHINE HEAD's highly anticipated seventh LP was released in September 2011 on Roadrunner Records. The album, produced by MACHINE HEAD's vocalist and guitarist Robb Flynn at Jingletown Studios, had charted outstandingly upon its release, debuting at position number 5 on the German Albums Chart and climbing up to position number 22 on the Billboard Top 200. The group has released a video for ‘Locust’, directed by Mike Sloat and worked on by a team of veteran Hollywood CGI artists and monster makers, including album art designer Paul Gerrard, available below:

“The first thing you’ll discover about the group's seventh full-length studio effort overall is that it is comprised of only seven tracks. However, time-wise, it all adds up, as the majority of the tunes stretch past either the six-minute or seven-minute mark. And something else the listener will discover quickly after sampling a few tunes on ‘Unto The Locust’ is that Robb Flynn and company have hit upon a formula that they follow throughout, save for one song (‘Pearls Before The Swine’) - start off mellow, then bludgeon the listener with full-on metal fury. … Still, it can’t be overlooked that 17 years after the release of their debut album (1994's ‘Burn My Eyes’), MACHINE HEAD is still a force in modern heavy metal, as exemplified by ‘Unto The Locust’,” [wrote Greg Prato, AllMusic – more here]

MACHINE HEAD was formed in 1992 in Oakland, California by Robb Flynn, Adam Duce, Logan Mader and Chris Kontos. The band's debut album and their Roadrunner debut, 1994's ‘Burn My Eyes’ (released to a massive European acclaim), was said to “successfully bridge the gap between second-generation Bay Area thrash (represented by TESTAMENT, DEATH ANGEL, etc.) and the modern-day PANTERA school of hard knocks”. The record sold over 500,000 copies and took the band on a massive international tour that lasted almost two years.Drummer Kontos, who left to join TESTAMENT, was replaced by Dave McClain on 1997's ‘The More Things Change’. The album debuted at number 138 on American albums chart Billboard 200. MACHINE HEAD's next effort was Ross Robinson-produced 1999's ‘The Burning Red’, featuring lead guitarist Ahrue Luster; the album charted even higher than its predecessor, reaching position number 12 on the Finnish Albums Charts, position number 13 on UK Album Chart and debuting at number 88 on the Billboard Top 200. Next came ‘Supercharger’ in 2001; deemed a disappointment by some critics, the album would go on to sell an impressive 250,000 copies worldwide. In 2002, Ahrue Luster left the band and was replaced by Phil Demmel. ‘Through The Ashes Of Empires’ came out in 2003 in Europe and Australia, and only a year latter in the USA, again debuting at number 88 on the Billboard 200. MACHINE HEAD's sixth album, ‘The Blackening’, was released in 2007 and had quickly became the group's highest charting release at number 54 (Billboard Top 200), selling 16,000 units in its first week. The album's first single, ‘Aesthetics Of Hate’, received a Grammy Award nomination for “Best Metal Performance”:

“[‘The Blackening’] is an over-the-top rage and pummelfest with all the qualities that earned the group its enormous fan base by touring and recording. The record starts out unlikely enough, and gladly enough, with a left-of-center call to arms to the youth of this nation to not accept blindly the words (and threats) of “patriotic brutes”. It calls for rage with triple-timed slamming beats and blistering lead guitar breaks, as the piece alternates between death metal, industrial metal, thrash and prog. It blends seamlessly. At ten-and-half minutes for an opening cut, one can tell this is no original heavy metal record,” [recommended Thom Jurek, AllMusic – more here]

MACHINE HEAD features: Robb Flynn - lead vocals and guitar, Adam Duce – bass and vocals, Dave McClain – drums and Phil Demmel - lead guitar

Rwake: It Was Beautiful But Now It’s Sour – new video & Rest – full album stream

 

Warning: The following 12 minute short film features slow motion close-ups of actual pig fetuses being annihilated by a variety of implements!

 

 

“[Explained himself vocalist C.T.:] Casper [Haugegaard, Danish horror aficionado] came to us about a year ago with this idea. He said he had “certain” subject matter he knew he had to film and that it would fit to our music perfectly. He probably knew no other band in its right mind who would agree to this footage and believe me the original test shootings he sent were way sicker. This fits RWAKE perfectly and we are honored to have such an artist like this think of us in the way that it inspires him to make such a beautifully, disturbing short film accompanied to our music.”

‘It Was Beautiful But Now It’s Sour’ is one of six critically acclaimed tunes off RWAKE's latest recording ‘Rest’. Follow the band's example and fit ‘Rest’ into your busy schedules  (“'cause in Arkansas that’s all you have… time”) and  listen to the album here (BandCamp) or via player available to you below. While at it, read Ned Raggett's review here (AllMusic). ‘Rest’, “a perpetually evolving, deeply emotional set of missives heralding the end of times”, can be bought here (Relapse Records) or through here (RWAKE store):

 

RWAKE: Rest

 

Originally called “Wake”, the southern sludge metal group (often caught sympathizing with doom and progressive metal) formed in 1996 in Little Rock, Arkansas:

“RWAKE started out as a four brothers jamming to kill time, ‘cause in Arkansas that’s all you have… time. And in time those brothers were joined by other brothers (and a sister) and recorded some tracks in '97.”

Their first proper demo entitled ‘Xenoglossalgia: Absence Due To Projection’ was released in 1999, the same year RWAKE recorded a full-length album which, “for reasons buried by the sands of time”, was never released. Three years later Relapse Records issued ‘Hell Is A Door To The Sun’, “less a record than an hour-long summoning of personal demons and primal fury” as explained by the band. The album was re-released in 2011 and can be streamed, as well as purchased, in full here (BandCamp) or below:

“[The record] ultimately resembles a promising but still rather rough sketch of the superior design eventually rendered for the band's subsequent effort. Hence, it’s not recommended as a first-time taste of RWAKE, but it’s still likely to appease devotees who were converted by their later efforts,” [commented Eduardo Rivadavia, AllMusic – more here:]

 

RWAKE: Hell Is A Door To The Sun

 

In 2004, RWAKE entered Volume Studios with producer Sanford Parker to record the album ‘If You Walk Before You Crawl You Crawl Before You Die’, released by At A Loss Records:

“And for all these ready comparisons to other bands [CROWBAR, EYEHATEGOD, ISIS, NEUROSIS, MASTODON…], the fact is RWAKE's testing ground is vast enough to let their creativity roam nearly without boundaries, discovering untapped wonders all their own in the process. The closing, two-part title track (two minutes of acoustic beauty followed by nine of bludgeoning ferocity) exemplifies this freedom, and along with the remaining material on hand, makes for a very impressive release,” [commended the record Eduardo Rivadavia, AllMusic – more here]

In 2006, the group signed with Relapse Records and shortly after revisited Volume Studios “to lay that material to tape”; as a result, 2007's ‘Voices Of Omens’ would hit the listener “below the bible-belt with thick, tar-black riffing, vicious male and female howls and leads so sweet you’d think they’re from Georgia”. Understand by visiting RWAKE's BandCamp page here for full album stream (also available below):

“But what truly separates RWAKE from most all of their like-minded contemporaries, is their self-effacing obsession with trailer-trash culture (generally realized via amusing snatches of TV and movie dialog), and a unique talent for weaving positively sublime melodies into their otherwise punishing musical bulk - like gold stitching onto a two-ton rhino's pelt! That and the downright flashiest, shred-guitar solos to be found anywhere within their aesthetic milieu, which are delivered with unashamed heroics by the cryptically named Gravy [guitarist] (that’s right, his handle is Gravy),” [continued to cheer – and rightly so – Eduardo Rivadavia, AllMusic – read more here:]

 

RWAKE: Voices Of Omens

 

RWAKE features: C.T. – vocals, Gravy – guitarist, Kiffin – guitar, Reid Raley – bass, Jeff Morgan – drums and B. – synthesizer and vocals

 

Full Album Stream: A Life Once Lost: Ecstatic Trance – new album

Already out in North America with international release date set for November 16th, 2012, visit BandCamp here to enjoy A LIFE ONCE LOST's “angular, furious, forward-thinking, and totally trippy” new album ‘Ecstatic Trance’. The album was recorded at Planet Red studios in Richmond, Virginia with producer Andreas Magnusson, while its artwork was painted by Brian Baker. ‘Ecstatic Trance’ awaits your order/pre-order here (Season Of Mist):

“A band that has sold tens of thousands of albums and may boast millions of plays of their songs on the internet like A LIFE ONCE LOST could easily try to take the easy option and repeat their successful formula. Yet [such] lack of creativity is usually just a recipe for losing the interest of followers, while not gaining new ones. With sixth album ‘Ecstatic Trance’, the American band dare to take a giant step in their continuous evolution. This leads A LIFE ONCE LOST out of yesterday's metalcore box into a new disturbing vision of sinister coldness founded on huge, jagged riffs and churning, syncopated rhythms, which are contrasted by emotive guitars, explosive vocals and capturing melodies,” [instructs the press release:]

 

A LIFE ONCE LOST was formed in 1999 on-the-forward-edge-of-modern-metal-where-progression-and-innovation-collide-with-tradition (Philadelphia suburbs) by guitarist Doug Sabolick and vocalist Bob Meadows. Their high-impact-wall-of-sound-combining-dissonant-modern-aggression-with-the-hallmarks-of-traditional-metal (proper album) called ‘Open Your Mouth For The Speechless… In Case Of Those Appointed To Die’ was delivered first in 2000 and reissued in 2004 through Robotic Empire Records. The band followed up with an EP ‘The Fourth Plague: Flies’, and second LP, ‘A Great Artist’, in 2003, which they released via their new label Ferret Music. A LIFE ONCE LOST's 2005's album ‘Hunter’ was described as “a decent example of the hammer-to-the-skull aesthetic” by Alex Henderson, AllMusic (read more here), while Greg Prato, also AllMusic, recommended their 2007's full-length, ‘Iron Gag’, to fans of the power metal genre, finding it full of “Dimebag Darrelll-esque guitar heroics and Phil Anselmo-style manly man vocals” (more here).

A LIFE ONCE LOST features: Robert Meadows – vocals, Douglas Sabolick – guitar and Jordan Crouse - drums