Death is June - Yarrow : " We Made What God Could Not"

I try not to read other record reviews even when written on other blogs I write for as they give me more reasons not to like people than I already have. I made the mistake of doing so today and it started off saying how all record reviews are the same and they sound like press kits or Mad Libs. We are just talking about music here. If I want to flex my writing chops I write book, or articles on things not about a single album. The purpose of a record review is this is what you are getting. Is it worth your time is another solid point you can make and what I try to do here. 90 percent of the time I got track by track. Since we need to make this more like art in said author's opinion, I will not go track by track. I will however talk about music since that is what is happening here. With this band from California, there is only so much you can say since they are not the most original thing ever.

 I came across them on one of the Cvlt Nation tribute albums.  I forgot how they are much more doom when it comes to death doom. In debating should I include them in my Death metal month, I asked my self this... If you heard this in 1988 wedged inbetween the death metal of that time would you think it was different than those bands? No, so here we are . Do other subgenres have an influence? Yes, one band that I am not going to mention since I am sure that is another hipster review no no, but it gives them more of a sludge sound in terms of the guitar tone and how scornfully the vocals are howled. It is dark so there is that going for it. Some of the songs run together due to the uniform nature of what they do . I am of course in this review no going to tell you which two songs as my dear reader you can figure that part out your self. The songs are on the longer side all but one are over seven minutes . Only four of them, so it is still an album. I count anything an album that is longer than that album by the California thrash band whose name I won't say, but the title track is about blood falling from the sky.

These guys are good at the nastiness they come howling at you with. There are many sounds of torment and despair , more than the typical mornful nature of doom. In that sense they are more sludge. I like the album title and the art work, but convey the mood of what is going on here particularly when we hit sections of atmsophere layered over the crunch. More opressive than they are angry, this will still win over fans of the death metal side of the equation. Some of the vocals are so wretching they sound like  demonic vomit. If you are unsure of slow angular moments of chilling atmosphere thrown in and just want double bass in your face all the time then this might not be for you. I will give this an 8.5 as these guys do a great job and capture a mood that I can believe in .

Yarrow : "a Mild Circus"

First heard these guys on  Cvlt Nation's Tribute album to Black Sabbath's "Vol 4". These guys are not really doom here. They are an angular grunge with a thick dose of punk . Like a darker more chaotic version of Mudhoney is one way to think of it. I can also hear traces of Fugazi. "Tambourine" keeps the spot light on their angular nature. There is still a darker tone. It is more grunge than not  with the punk side still leaning in the Fugazi direction. ;Thee song writing is cumbersome with dissonance, but it still works they are just not hitting you with the conventional groove and melodies you expect from indie rock.


 They give the vocals more breathing room on "Shyless". This also opens the door for the drums to establish more of a groove. That is not to say they are not going to explode back out of it.One thing about this band I like is they have no regard for using any type of formula.  The songs are very compactly written. The title track is more aggressive like the Melvins though leaning less towards metal. If you ever wondered what it might have sounded like if Nirvana had jammed with Fugazi, that question is answered on the album's last song "Sorrow". It is marginally more moody while having the uptempo momentum propelling the bulk of these songs

. I think the fact it takes a D/C post hardcore and marries it to grunge angst, is what sells me on this albums as it reminds me a of a slew of bands I used to listen to in high school in the 90s. I guess doom gaze is the most ironic hash tag to use these days as there is nothing doom about this album. If that is what you are looking for look else where. I will however give this a 9 as the sounds captured here fit like puzzle pieces to create a familiar yet unique sound.

BLACK SABBATH VOL. 4: THE CVLT NATION SESSIONS

The Fam over Cvlt Nation has released another tribute session. I like these because they always give me a chance to check bands I have not heard before. The first of these being Potion. First impressions being rough because the more I like the band the more critical ear I listen with. I like the guitar sound it's dense and still trippy. Not trying to cop from Tony Iommi. It's a tricky balance when trying to cover Sabbath. Yoiu want to give it your own spin, but these guys invented heavy metal so the stakes are high. The thing about Sabbath, is that they are very similar to how I feel about the Smiths. While I love the band, I have even greater love for Morrissey, if he is singing with them or not. Sure the solo albums might not live up to the classics of their bands , but it's hard to capture their sound without the distinctive vocals. I do not need an Ozzy impersonation. I do need you to hit the notes. I think hitting notes might not be the what this singer normally goes for as they have a more throaty tone, but they do go for it .

Yarrow does a much better job of hitting the notes. Though the change the tone of the song , by making it slower. It still works. They do throw in a bit of the song "Black Sabbath" . Which is more of their thing, Drug Cult handles changes in more of a Tori Amos fashion. "f/x" was always a fast forward classic, Bongripper just makes it a longer one. There is more off a deathly sludge to Oryx's attack upon "Supernaut". The vocals are a little grating , but the guitars are cool.   Mindkult gives a more sludgey southern rock feel to "Snowblind". The vocals are sung and certainly work on the verses. It is when it gets to the bridge that you hear this guy has not much in the way of power or range. Hearing covers like this also shine light on what and under rated singer Ozzy was. Of course only Ozzy is to blame for letting the emphasis be  put on his maniacal acts rather than his pipes.

CHRCH offers up a very dense take on "Cornucopia". The vocals sit way back in the mix until they go into a harsher scream. In places their version is slower and heavier. The snarl of the vocals sets the tone for the rest of the song. Sea Witch offers a more fuzzed out take on "Laguna Sunrise"  another song that is more of an interlude for me, (16) does a really good job with "St. Vitus Dance". They make an effort to sing even if it is from behind a veil of effects. Yidhra also dopes a pretty comparable job with " Under the Sun". I will give this one a 9. It is certainly one of the better albums like this Cvlt Nation has tackled.

7.2