WEEK OF STOOM #2

MONDAY

A pale sun casts doleful light over Stoom Hollows, reflecting the morose mood within. I fumble through the morning goody bag and pull out the sophomore release from London doomsters COLD IN BERLIN. “Rituals of Surrender” growls with the confident menace of an attack dog: shrill, Siouxsie-esque lamentations over gritty and grimy power doom telling tales of heartbreak, loss and misery. Intense, powerful and mature music reminiscent of Solar Halos or Stonefield.

TUESDAY

Blind panic! Guests arriving later and I’ve yet to clay the hedgehogs and hang fresh bats in the dining pit. In need of speed I grasp the Metal Beast that is CRIMSON WITCH! ‘Satanic Panic’ (2019) is the latest offering from this Canadian five-piece and is a supercharged, screamin n’ kickin slab of modern metal that wears its NWOBHM influences like faded patches on an old denim. Sweet dual-guitar licks, hard driving rhythms and a pure old-school vocalist keep the energy and vitality going through seven stonking songs! “Hey Ho, The Witch is RED…”

WEDNESDAY

Odin’s day is an epitaph to Summer: Rain, brooding skies and vicious cold keeps all but the minions at home. Sat at home, toasting ferrets over a small fire, I give ear to the new chicanery from Chicago: 'Witch of the Future’ (2019) by BLACK ROAD. Oh,my people, this is a thing of beauty: the creeping chug of “Radiation,” the slithering hiss of “Hash King,” and the slow grind of “End of Man” are just a few highlights. “Witch of the Future” is virile, vital doom delivered by masters of the Craft! Dirty, blues-fuelled, Uzi-totin’ brilliance!

THURSDAY

The cat wakes me early, which is startling to say the least - I don’t have a cat! Evicting the unwanted intruder (and putting a rock in front of the hole afterwards) puts me in the mood for something triumphant! My eyes feast on the shiny new cover of CLOUDS TASTE SATANIC’s new brainstormer, 'Second Sight’ (2019).

Potent waves of acidic and acerbic heavy psych cannon from the speakers: a free-wheeling, foaming and feisty two-tracker which shows a continuation of the path they took with 'Evil Eye’ (2019). It’s a lot trippier, doomier and crazier and reminds me of the latest COSMIC DEAD album in many ways – guaranteed to take you to The Outer Limits.

FRIDAY

Swarms of new releases gather in my inbox and the normal Friday morning slugfest begins. I find one labelled simply, “experimental garage psych” and decide to dive in. What a plunge! Straight into a bewildering blend of late '60s psych and '70s prog meanderings, played by a band who seem to have an almost telepathic connection the way the folds and rhizomes of the album are handled.

LIQUID PENNIES new acid blotter 'Floods’ (2019). Opening with a groovy surf-style guitar, “Descender” does just that, delving deep into luscious reverb tones then expanding in all directions with progressive phrasings and harsh fuzz assaults that stretch languidly over the five lengthy tracks. The psychedelic revolution has a mighty new weapon.

SATURDAY

The trawl through new releases continued long into the early dawn. Feeling somewhat musically jaded, I decided to forego the usual psych-doom and settle on the new venomous sludge of OPIUM LORD. Instant gravitas hits you like a brick. 'Vore’ (2019) is heavier than a Gulag’s contraband search!

Thick, foetid riffs smeared over a spine-snapping bass/drum combo, it’s a similar entity to the recent Wallowing or Torpor releases, but this has a malign presence unlike anything hitherto. Despairing wails clutch at the bleak, cruel noises, vainly trying to elicit Hope in the foulest of pits. “Lead Magnet” is a cripple-clawed vulture, eager to tear flesh, “Centurion” evokes the iron grip of imperialism, punishing dissent from a nail-bomb of sound! All seven tomes weigh mighty and massive. Glory and the spoils ensue.

SUNDAY

Crawled late from the pail and after a light repast of vole knuckles, I settled in to hear a highly-anticipated release: Portland’s finest purveyors of crusted doom, CIA HIPPIE MIND CONTROL. 'Special Purpose’ (2019) is an amalgam of their previous EPs and having them all on one disc is sheer delight! Track one, “The Pain Barrier,” introduces the uninitiated into a world of twisted metal, mangled bass rips and Arnie soundbytes all delivered with the purpose of foisting misanthropy on your soul.

The blackness continues with “Human Individual Metamorphosis” a much-lauded favourite of those in the know: a dank, ghoulish death-rattle of angular dispassion. Through the ferocious nastiness of “I am Your Daddy…” to the pulchritude of pus that is “the Conqueror Worm”, “Special Purpose” will have you writhing in dark corners of morbidity, craving and pleading for more.