Space Witch - The Alchemy Paradox

(Cosmic Tomb, 2013)

You’ve got to have a good sense of humour with a name like Space Witch, haven’t you? With the market on prime ‘Bong’, ‘Witch’ and ‘Goat’ aided doom band names growing ever smaller, a band utilising these kinds of suffixes needs to really stand out of the pack musically to get noticed these days. Goat Witch. Goat Bong. Bong Witch. Bong Goat… apologies if any of these are actual bands, but you get the idea. I know I’m not the only person whose first reaction to another addition to the GoatBongWitch family is an extended, exasperated sigh. So, how will Space Witch fare?

 

On the one hand (and this almost certainly says more about my own prejudices than anything else) I had envisioned terrible, plodding trad doom from Space Witch, having never heard them before. Perhaps trad doom with a guy chanting ‘rites’ about the Salem Witch trials, or some intergalactic, cross-dimensional romance between a Princess Leia type and the eponymous witch. But my fears were soon allayed upon putting this record on; rest assured, there’s nothing funny about this latest release from burgeoning cassette label Cosmic Tomb (who have previously released the excellent Trollkraft’s Bogs and Brimstone EP). Stoke’s Space Witch (est. 2008) are an instrumental 5-piece who weave together a lot of ideas and mighty riffs over the course of this 3-track (and really rather good) EP.

 

The Alchemy Paradox sticks loosely to a theme (see song titles: “Hang the Witch”, “Cosmic Cauldron” and “Black Pyramid”) and to a musical formula too, but without ever becoming formulaic. The latter song in particular bucks a trend, for example, by staying relatively pacey, never shedding BPM in its singular, driving vision, akin to some of Kyuss’ more tumultuous moments. But it’s the opening two songs in particular that strike a doom-filled chord with this listener. After a tempestuous start, “Hang the Witch” settles into a laid-back crawl which carries on through to “Cosmic Cauldron.” In both songs, riffs start up, cast their slow enchantments and then either swell up as the distortion builds or fall back to make way for the next progression. In this sense Space Witch bring to mind Bongripper’s progressive, exploratory take on doom. “Cosmic Cauldron” features a disorienting and Ouroboros-like downwards spiral of notes, slowly pulling you down into a stupor before “Black Pyramid” blows away the cobwebs, taking you on a fast-paced whirlwind-tour of the cosmos.

 

The irony is that my initial scepticism about Space Witch’s name has long since been forgotten and I’ve actually used such pompous phrases such as “cast their slow enchantments” and “taking you on a fast-paced whirlwind-tour of the cosmos” in my attempt to describe the band’s EP, which suggests that this is a band for whom prejudices should be left at the door. The bottom line is that Space Witch are a great band who should do well with this new lineup, and fans of instrumental doom and sludge would be very well advised to check out The Alchemy Paradox and support the good folks at Cosmic Tomb Records because this sort of goodness needs to be encouraged.

Now cue a snappy closing sentiment about the band casting a spell on you. Sigh…

[Originally published by the Sleeping Shaman, 06/06/2013]
http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album-reviews/s/space-witch-the-alchemy-paradox-cs-dd-2013/

Dallas Don't OMS Feature

“We formed about 3 years ago – Brian and I met through work, and me and Yan used to jam together,” remembers Dallas Don't frontman Niall. “Then we found Jenny on the internet and took her to a practice room out in the sticks on a cold winter night. That’s not what it sounds like...”

That's exactly the kind of smut you should expect from on-the-up freak pop-punks Dallas Don't whose most recent release, the rather excellent Retrace this Place EP, perfectly brings the band's love for well-crafted indie pop songs and post-hardcore noise into harmony, as Niall explains.

“We’re as influenced by Hefner, Seafood and Belle and Sebastian, as we are by Fugazi, Shellac and Fucked Up. I think this means that people are sometimes a bit confused about which side of that divide we fall on, but it keeps it interesting for us, as we like melody as much as we love heavy noise in songs.”

Coming to terms with the two seemingly disparate aesthetics is what brought the band to their current sound.

“Our first demo was very much us figuring out what sort of music we wanted to play. The second one was a bit of step up for us, and we’re still playing songs like “Lesson” and “Phoebe Henderson” from it live, but I think some of the tunes were a bit mismatched. The new EP is more linked thematically through the lyrics and it just has the strongest tunes we’ve written. “The Witches Stone” is the poppiest song we've written yet and although “Solution” and “New Wolf” are among the heaviest we've written, there’s still a strong melodic element to them.”

Beside the band's inherent sense of melody, one of the most striking elements of the band's sound is Niall's strong Scottish accent, something which also feeds into the lyrical themes in the songs.

“Lyrically, the influence is a mix of my own experience, particularly from the time I spent growing up in the North of Scotland, and re-tellings and reimaginings of stories from local history, pop culture and everyday life that help me to explore themes I find interesting, both personally, socially and occasionally politically too.”

But the band is very much tied to it's Oxford roots too; their last EP was recorded by former Xmas Lights man Umair Chaudhry at a session provided by winning Demo of the Month in Nightshift magazine. Oh, and Umair came highly recommended by Dallas Don't's good pals The Cellar Family. Singer and guitarist Jenny also goes on to champion the likes of We Aeronauts, Salvation Bill, X-1, Agness Pike, Von Braun, Listing Ships, Rhosyn, and Spring Offensive as among her favourite local acts, adding: “I think that list alone highlights that there is so much variety out there. Even though there is a definite “Oxford sound” which has been perpetuated by the success of Foals and This Town Needs Guns, Oxford is still a city that is keen to embrace anything new and different.”

[Originally published in Oxfordshire Music Magazine, issue 23, May 2013]

http://www.back2left.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/oms-23.pdf

Kill Murray - Microscopic Feel EP

(Self-released, 2013)

Radiohead meets Animal Collective meets any number of anthemic nineties alternative acts on Kill Murray's latest EP of sturdy electro-pop, Microscopic Feel. Singer Gus Rogers sighs and falsettos like Thom Yorke while the band ploughs through a handful of synth-rock anthems that are tastefully put together, if sometimes a little out of whack on the style-to-substance ratio, the electronic sheen giving an unnecessary air of modernity to what are essentially quite traditional songs. In truth, the best moments occur when Gus' songwriting returns to Dial F territory on songs like "Hotel Zoo," if only because Kill Murray get back to sounding like four musicians playing together in a band rather than a sequencer, strategically programmed. You can't fault the craftsmanship, the performances or the production from a technical standpoint – the drums in particular sound huge – but everything feels a bit too metronomic and clean cut to make me feel much about it, microscopic or otherwise. 

[Originally published, in slightly editorially altered form, in Oxfordshire Music Magazine, issue 23, May 2013]
http://www.back2left.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/oms-23.pdf

Conan / Bongripper - Split 12"

(Holy Roar Records, 2013)

 

If you are reading this then we are fortunate that the recent Bongripper / Conan UK tour hasn’t levelled our fair isles to rubble. As the cover of this co-release indicates (and indeed as both bands’ reputation will have preceded them) Conan and Bongripper are true worshippers of insane degrees of amplification, ever on a path of discovery for perfect tone and crushing noise. Coming off the back of celebrated Roadburn Festival performances and well-respected albums (Bongripper’s Satan Worshipping Doom and Conan’s Monnos) the bands being brought together on vinyl is every monolithic doom fan’s wet dream, and the fact that they decided to tour together to bring the music directly to your beating chest may well be the climax.

 

Anyone who is familiar with either band’s back catalogue ought to know what to expect, and certainly they will not be disappointed with this split. Both bands play the kind of incredibly loud, down-tuned and soul-destroying doom that makes your sphincter wobble and your heart pound twice as hard in your chest. On the one hand, both band’s appeal lies in primal, old fashioned riffs. But both bands are also masters of a sound that they have created, one that is dense, menacing and cinematic.

 

Starting with the hypnotic tribal drumming of Conan‘s Paul O’Neil and the growing drone of Matamp-approved feedback, the lowstrung grumble of the guitars gives way to the dual roar of Jon Davis and Phil Coumbe. “Beheaded” harks back to Horseback Battle Hammer-era Conan when the songs were given more time to plough through their surroundings, the notes more sparse and sparing than almost anything on Monnos but certainly no less punishing or menacing. As always, Conan manage to paint a mental image of destruction, war-torn battlefields and barbarians tearing through villages and revelling in the fire and brimstone of it all. For seventeen minutes, “Beheaded” rolls on – no break in the action, no looking back at the devastation left in its wake. This is doom that creates a heavy atmosphere and hits you at that gut level with no need for frills or tricks – the reward is in the weight of the sound.

 

Bongripper contribute a far more tumultuous offering in ‘Zero Talent’, a track that could have easily sat on Satan Worshipping Doom in terms of sound and the combination of styles that inform the band’s exploratory, progressive take on doom. Stoner riffs slide into depressive passages of monotone doom before blast beats pull you out of your stupor. While Bongripper don’t quite create the same level of all-consuming atmosphere, given the time constraints, ‘Zero Talent’ is nonetheless a mighty sampling of one of the heaviest bands currently making music and a near-perfect introduction to those who may not know the band’s sound. If Conan evoke a horde of barbarians wantonly pillaging, Bongripper are like the blackened visage of Death, grinning slyly from beneath his cloak at the squalor.

 

It’s not often that two bands who have mastered a unique sound of their own come together for a release like this which is what makes it such an absolute treat; one side of monotone, primal caveman doom and another of pitch-black stoner doom. While we wait for new albums from both bands, this is the perfect stop-gap, whetting our appetites for more aural destruction to come. As ever, the real heroes here are the amplifiers who have been given pride of place on the cover, acting as the “fifth member” throughout this mighty impressive release. Here’s an experiment: put this on your turntable and see if it can handle the weight.

[Originally published by the Sleeping Shaman, 02/05/2013]
http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album-reviews/c/conan-bongripper-split-12inch-dd-2013/

Listing Ships / Grey Hairs / Abandon / Tiger Mendoza @ The Wheatsheaf, Oxford, 12/04/13

The veritable tastemakers at MusicInOxford HQ (I must say nice things – they’re watching me…) excelled themselves once again with the latest in a sporadic series of gigs celebrating eclectic line-ups of local and out-of-town talent at the old workhorse of the Oxford scene, The Wheatsheaf. Having admired the three local acts from a afar for some time, and having heard great things about Grey Hairs, it promised to be a good night from the start.

Although I was somewhat disappointed to learn that Tiger Mendoza were playing a DJ set as opposed to appearing as a full band (having never seen them before), the result was actually pretty interesting. Frontman Ian, wearing his trademark mask, combined elements of Tiger Mendoza’s own material with huge hip-hop beats and familiar samples from the likes of DJ Shadow, whose eclecticism has clearly had an influence on Ian’s approach to DJing. Being largely unfamiliar with Tiger Mendoza’s own music, it was hard to tell where the line between original and sampled music became blurred, but it was nonetheless a pleasant, stimulating start to the evening.

Featuring two former members of aggro-mentalists Xmas Lights, Abandon‘s music is in stark contrast to the other bands on display tonight, not to mention their own musical past. Instead of punching you in the face, Abandon slowly creep under your skin. Featuring two reverb-drenched guitars, bass and drums-by-way-of-an-iPad, Umair Chaudhry and company launch into a majestic, cold depression of chiming guitars and elegant song structures, delivered with the downtrodden emotion and pace of Jesu; Umair’s sullen voice an instrument in itself. It’s a shame some of the crowd were talking loudly throughout – Abandon are bound to polarise people who’ve come out to dance or rock out – but for those who were taken under their slowcore spell, it was a beautiful set of quiet dignity.

Dignity flies out of the door as soon as Nottingham’s Grey Hairs start up, and they’re like a jolt to the system after being lulled into a sweet coma by Abandon. The band tap into the very core of the mountain of rock’n'roll, to hit that sweet spot where enthusiasm and a little swagger makes technical precision seem pompous and absurd. It’s the kind of subversive rock’n'roll that compels trust fund kids to shuffle to the front to shake their heads wildly, and the rest of us sit back and enjoy the reference points, nodding smugly as the band touch upon Mclusky, Wire and the Fall. An intoxicating hybrid of Iggy & the Stooges-like garage rock and Pissed Jeans-ian mid-life crisis.

After Grey Hairs’ energised set I was beginning to wonder how Listing Ships would shape up in comparison. Thankfully, they were ship-shape (*cough*). But seriously, Listing Ships delivered a truly amazing performance of their nautical-themed post-Krautrock, the various band members gleefully switching between bass, electric guitar and a handful of synthesisers. Having been more than enthusiastic about their recorded output, I was pleased that the anthemic ‘Equus Ager’ and ‘All Aboard The Andrea Doria’ packed an even greater punch live, while songs like ‘The 100 Gun Ship’ proved to make even more sense within the context of their kinetic set. The band even presented their guitarist Jim (who was playing his last gig with the band before beckoning fatherhood) with a Listing Ships emblazoned baby-grow – not a usual staple of a rock show, but a sweet moment at the end of a fantastic evening courtesy of your ol’ pals, MusicInOxford.

[Originally published on MusicInOxford, 01/05/2013]
http://www.musicinoxford.co.uk/2013/05/01/listing-ships-grey-hairs-abandon-tiger-mendoza-the-wheatsheaf-oxford-120413/

Cough / Windhand - Reflection of the Negative

(Relapse Records, 2013)

Richmond, Virginia may be a city better known for its blues, country, and bluegrass music and the Richmond Folk Festival than for heavy metal, but if you delve into the murky underground scene, you will realise that it is home to some incredible bands, including occult misery veterans Cough who need no introduction, suffice to say that they have been peddling their own unique strain of despairing, cacophonous sludge and doom since 2005. The remote scene that spawned Cough also gave birth to doom upstarts Windhand whose practice room demo, and last year’s debut album, have made them ones-to-watch in the US metal underground. The ties between the two bands (which now includes sharing a bass-player in Chandler Parker) come to the fore on this split release put out by Relapse Records which is comprised of two new Windhand cuts and one mini-epic from Cough.

Cough‘s contribution, “Athame”, is a nasty, spiteful occult anthem of grief, despair, and “ritual suicide”, shaking its tar-blackened death rattle slowly across your ear for 19 minutes. Languishing at a pace like the drip of Chinese water torture, Cough envelope you under their cloak and the darkness doesn’t let up as vast, dark waves of guitars, seismic drums and Parker’s gut-wrenching vocals entrance you into a depressive stupor.

Comparatively Windhand are, no pun intended, a breath of fresh air, if for no reason other than Dorthia Cottrell’s lofty – dare-I-say, uplifting – vocals. “Amaranth” gets to work immediately and is instantly more uproarious than any moment on Side A, the main riffs propelled with more energy making it clear that Windhand’s aim is slightly more skyward-facing than Cough’s introspective, consuming approach. “Shepherd’s Crook” almost feels like a slowed-down and stretched-out take on “Amaranth” but this allows Cottrell to lay more of the infectious vocal hooks that made their last EP so enjoyable on us. As ever with Windhand, it’s the authenticity and style with which they deliver their music as opposed to any large sense of originality that will appeal to the out-in-the-open or closeted Sabbath fans out there but Windhand are instantly recognisable and always thoroughly enjoyable.

All this leads one to wonder if this is the year of split releases? With a handful of excellent splits already under 2013′s metaphorical belt and at least a few more due before year end, ‘Reflection Of The Negative’ is as good an argument for the vitality of the format as any, presenting two geographically remote bands who both have differing and kick-arse interpretations of doom. Whether this split is intended as a taster for future releases for both bands on Relapse Records or not, it’s clear that the future is looking good for Cough and Windhand.

[Originally published by the Sleeping Shaman, 25/04/2013]
http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album-reviews/c/cough-windhand-reflection-of-the-negative-split-cd-lp-dd-2013/

Desert Storm - Horizontal Life

(Blindsight Records, 2013)

Oxford’s stoner groove merchants Desert Storm have had a pretty good few years. In the time since their second album Forked Tongues was released, they’ve played with stoner titans Weedeater and Orange Goblin, toured with Karma To Burn and Honky, and rocked a packed-out room at the inaugural DesertFest, all in between gigging regularly despite band members being spread around the UK. You may think this is all tedious information but it all informs the band’s third album Horizontal Life, released on Blindsight Records. The band sound tighter than they ever have on record before and this can most certainly be attributed to the road-hardened skills of each of the players. The songs have been worked out and improved in front of audiences all over the UK. And as for the album title, well – you’d probably be living a horizontal life if you partied with the likes of Orange Goblin and Karma To Burn…

The first half of Horizontal Life is entirely dedicated to what Desert Storm have become so well-known for: inexhaustible stoner riffing, delivered with a Southern outlaw attitude. Many of the tracks here have become such a staple of the band’s live set that it’s almost surreal hearing them in their recorded forms – they feel instantly familiar, like old classics. Strident opener “Word to the Wiseman” is a case in point; the words, the groove and the almighty riffs will soon be embedded in your cerebral cortex (if they’re not already). Likewise, marijuana anthem “No Slave to Master” is another one to watch out for, with a bad-arse, Rage Against the Machine-like guitar rhythm seemingly custom-designed to break necks. The song even has a fucking bong solo for Christ’s sake. And while one or two of the songs here are actually re-recordings of tracks from the band’s limited edition debut album, they’re given a complete facelift in terms of delivery, performance, recording quality and production – again proving the virtues of road-testing and refining songs. Anyone who has seen the band in the last two or three years will have heard and got-down to the  mini-epics “Shadow of an Eagle” and “Astral Planes.”

However, Desert Storm have also grown and mastered new styles that they’d previously only hinted at on Forked Tongues. Firstly there’s the ferocious “Enslaved in the Icy Tundra” in which the band sound more bludgeoning than ever before – the rhythmic onslaught caved further into your head by singer Matt’s heavy whisky-burned growl. The same could be said for “Shenzhen” which may be the heaviest thing the band has ever recorded. But it is the central ten minute “Titan” that most impresses and demonstrates the full breadth of the band’s abilities. Initially crashing in with a familiar Southern goove, the band then take an unexpected minor turn by seguing into a paranoid and psychedelic verse, before finally giving way for an extended atmospheric jam of minimalistic organ, airy synths and distant bluesy guitar licks. It’s a startling and evocative mid-point to the album that signals the way for further experimentation on “Gaia” which continues and improves upon Forked Tongues‘ acoustic raga “Connected” (which now feels like a failed experiment in comparison). Indeed, “Gaia” is a lush hymn, combining layers of crystal clear acoustic guitar arpeggios, tabla drums, and ebows to truly beautiful effect. It might not be to everybody else’s tastes, but if nothing else it’ll shut up the detractors who suggest that Desert Storm are a one-trick pony. And they close the album with two more stormers in the form of “Hofmann” and “Scorpio” anyway, so everyone’ll be happy.

It’s fair to say that Horizontal Life is a step forward for the band in pretty much every sense. The musicianship and production is tight and packs a massive punch and as a result the album feels more cohesive, more assured and yet more experimental than anything they’ve done before. And really, what more can you ask from a band than that they continue to grow and refine what makes them great? The future looks bright for these guys, and with this album behind them and yet more tours with the likes of Karma To Burn on the horizon, the enterprising Desert Storm may soon be trading a Horizontal Life for a vertical climb.

[Originally published by the Sleeping Shaman, 09/04/2013]
http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album-reviews/d/desert-storm-horizontal-life-cd-dd-2013/