Magic Knives : "s/t"

 

Here is a band that might not be Halloween-ready, but they do darker post-punk in a very organic manner that marries Concrete Blonde to Siouxsie without being too over about the latter, setting them apart from the competition. There is a 60s garage rock flavor that reminds me of earlier Death Valley Girls. There is a haunting quality to what they do rather than an overt darkness, but as a song like "The Runner" proves, they are not afraid to rock out and throw guitar solos in. "Sanctum" is rather hypnotic, though the main vocals are more of a chant. 

In many ways, this album is for goths who smoke a good deal of pot. The psychedelic elements in goth have always been a thing since the Doors were a big influence on the genre." Me vs You" has a more rambling riff that unfolds gracefully. Her smoky alto floats easily over this one with some great vocal hooks that might make this the album's best song. They pick up the pace for "Andromeda" / "A Haunting," which unfolds pretty gracefully, but carries a stormy, more intense dynamic that unfurls. 

There is a more indie rock shuffle to "The Obelisk," and her stark alot approach lays out similar vocal passages to set the atmosphere again. While there are different guitar sounds, the vocals are center here and do something we have heard before on this album, though it is not a deal breaker. "Some Night" is more of a creepy psychedelic jam. That grows on me with additional listens. "Infernal" closes the album, though there are two remixes on the album but I am not counting them for the purpose of this review. It's almost a surf rock instrumental but the vocals hold a textural place in the background, I will give this album a 9.5, it impressed me with it's organic flow and touched on sounds I like while doing their own thing. 

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JEHOVAH ON DEATH : " Lágrimas de Oro"

This band might be branded as occult rock, which is typically focused on a more retro sound than some of these denser, more modern sounds this Greek band employs. They are very dynamic and work acoustic elements into the songs, not trying to sound like Black Sabbath. The female vocals are rather haunting, though on the opening track sit back as an alto chant. You could almsot think of this as prog rock. Though at just under six minutes, the opening song is the longest, so they do not sprawl things out, which is fine with me. The second song has an almsot 80s metal feel. Though they deviate from this one in the chorus. Lyrically darker than the music; they still have more shadow than your average rock band

For the purpose of this review, I am not counting the guitar interlude before "Catherine Wheel" as a song. It's almost like a Pat Benetar covering "Stranglehold". The multitrack vocals on the chorus are a little over the top and not likely to be replicated live. Though I can hear some Brian May influence on this one. "Suspiria" finds the chorus being more memorable than the verses, which are not dark enough for my liking, but I can hear where the Blue Öyster Cult influence is intended to be. "Blood Madonna" finds them a few notes shy of ripping off "Don't Fear the Reaper," but the song still works even with the anthemic guitar.

"Ride On Ye Furious Host" has a heavier drive to it that flirts with proto-metal. They throw in a decent gallop to throw a guitar solo over. With the title "Lord Let Me Be Your Instrument of Pain," you would think the last song would be heavier. I do like the vocal melody of it, so that balances things out. I will give this album a 9.5. I am glad it is not trying to be Ghost on the Blue Öyster Cult side of the equation. This is the occult rock revival you are looking for. Out on I Void Hanger Records. 

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November is Doom - High Priestess : " Casting the Circle"

Remember ten years ago when the sub genre 'occult rock' was on the rise. Ghost is arguably the biggest band to come from that scene. Many were female fronted like Christian Mistress and The Devil's Blood, though none of them really broke big after their moment. The pendulum swings back around and with the rise of Instagram witches perhaps the time is right.  The title track that opens the album is more exotic. I love it when people make their guitars sound more like sitars , yet you can still tell it is a guitar they playing. So he first song is more influence by Ravi Shakar than Black Sabbath. 

We do not hear the more traditional strains of doom come in until the second song. It is dark enough to keep me happy so that says something.  There is more of a dark retro rock feel to " the Hours" . Much like the previous song they keep the overall retro feel in place. It has a slithering groove . Though it does not slither as much as the  17 minute "Invocation"  which jams  around the Hungarian minor scale. I love the Hungarian minor scale. 17 minutes is a lot. They do take you through a journey where that scale is played in varying degrees of heaviness There is great guitar playing through out the song. 

The album ends with the three and a half minute "Ave Satanas" . This is yet another song with Satanic theme. My gut tells me they are not actually Satanists, as it is dark but not sinister, and that is something you can not really fake unless you are Slayer. It is more of an outro than an actual song. It is pretty much just an atmospheric vocal piece. I will give this album an 8, I loved the guitars , but the vocals bored me. 

Dool : " Summerland"

I was a big fan of their previous album. If you were unaware this band features members of the Devils Blood. They are less retro and more progressive, with a more straight up radio rock vibe. Some of this is thanks to the very accessible nature of the smooth vocals. The post punk vibe the was only a vague coloring that darkened the first album is more prominent here."Wolf Moon" has a marginally more up tempo groove. The drumming is more intricate here, reminding me a little of Alice In Chains mood wise. Until the chorus which has more of a 70s rock meets doom feel. There is more of a brooding hard rock offered on "God Particle". Her voice has more husk to it's alto creating a more androgynous tone than last time. The arrangements are also more finely tuned with subtle creeping break downs  and bridges.

There is a more simmering feel to the more power ballad like title track. They album stays moody, but as I was working on another article it began to lose my ear and fade into background music. "the Wells Run Dry" does a good job of modernizing the old formula of occult rock. "Ode To the Future" has a more PJ Harvey like strum to it. "Be Your Sins" carries more of a rock swagger to the riff. This is one of the more overt metal moments , though not the heaviest. The palm muted chug that runs as an undercurrent through the verses has a classic metal influence for sure. This fills the void left by In Solitude. I think this album mood wise has more of a doom feel. "Dust & Shadow" might be one of the strongest songs on the album it balances the dark creepy feel with jamming out rock god style with guitar solos.

There is a faint hint of the 60s feel that occult rock leans toward when it pulls influence from bands like Coven . This is jarringly contrasted by the last song "the Ascent to Summerland" that is very atmospheric and experimental almost not a tangible songs.I will give this album a 9.5, I think it's a mature step forward with songwriting and even darker .

Messa : " Feast For Water"

My first thought when I heard the beginning moments of  "Snakeskin Drape" was this is like a metal version of Lana Del Ray. The tempo picks up and finds them falling closer in line to other "occult" rock of their ilk like Christian Mistress. There is more raw rumble going when they gain speed that what their peers typically muster. The over driven roar is more of a production choice as cleaner mixed guitar play around it. There are plenty of guitar  solos that give it a more jammy feel. When the tempo drops down for the next song I think they have more room to let their singer cut loose. Things get more interesting for the blue based touches applied to "the Seer". The cleaner reverb bathed guitar tones being my favorite. They have a great sense of dynamics and the guitar reach beyond the normal confines of meta with the style of their solos.

The first half of "She Knows" is a "No Quarter" like instrumental before building up and ebbing back into more of a torch song. They continue to merge odd pieces of other genres on "Tulsi" which blends both black metal and rock, before descending into a gloom draped jam. The sax that comes in over this is really what brings out their jazz side. It also makes me think a little of Hawkwind. They fall back into doom with "White Stains".  The organs on this song return to a more "No Quarter" sound. They back off into a more gently picked guitar for the last song. This instrumental is more of a noodling outro that builds into a more stormy rock pulse.

So for the sake of this review I am not counting the first or last track, since they do not feel like fully formed songs but transitional ideas. The six songs that serve as the meat of the album are going to get a 9. I think while this band shares a similar sound to others in the occult rock genre when it comes to the broader sense of having a more retro sound, what they do with that sound is much more unique and sets them apart from most of those bands giving them the most common ground with say King Woman. If you like dreary doom influenced retro rock then this is worth your time for sure.
 

Psychedelic Witchcraft : " Sound of the Wind"

Female fronted "occult rock" or "vest metal" bands almost became a thing back in 2012. Here is a band from Italy we have covered before that still carries that torch. After an acoustic intro the band is back their brand of occult tinged stoner rock. The crunch of the guitar's organic warmth is what contributes most to the retro core of their sounds. Virgina Monti proves right from the opening track that she is not to be relegated to sultry and is a capable rock singer of her own merit, with vocal melodies that are more biting. The Sabbath influence lingers at some of the songs edges more vividly in some places than others. There is more groove to "Wild We Go". The songs are not long drawn out jams, though they do jam out at a little on the solo to "Wild We Go".  They back off and let "Sound of the Wind" simmer. It sounds like something from a California summer in the late 60s. This emerge from this decade with the Foghat like boogie of "Turn Me On".



There is more of a metal feel to "Rising On the Edge". The lyrically this album is a little more straight forward, but the increased sinew of the music makes up for this. This momentum is carried over into "the Warrens". It might be too much to call the song aggressive, but it falls somewhere on that side of the feeling wheel.  There is more overt sexuality to "Sin of Mine" that rides a serpentine groove with blues in it's veins. There is more of a Deep Purple feel to "Let Me Be Myself" . For an album that finds the band heading in a more bluesy direction this one pushes the point further. Piano leads "Horizons", that keeps them on the same blues oriented path they were on in the previous song , but with a bigger power chord emphasis, thus giving it more drive though I wasn't expecting it to be an instrumental.

 I would say this album is less metal and more rock, but finds them maturing as song writers and hitting the mark in terms of working together as finely tuned rock machine. I'll round this one up to a 9 as I know after the initial listen I am going to need time to get used to the warmer more rock sound as this might not be as dark or as metallic, but is a sign of growth for the band.

Jess and the Ancient Ones : "Horse and Other Weird Tales"

While not tremendously impressed when I saw this band open for King Diamond a few years ago, I think they have potential so have some hope fore their new album "the Horse and Other Weird Tales " . I continues to find the band steeped in groovy 60's rock almost like Coven with go-go dancers. So keyboards play a huge role. There is also a very jammy quality, not unlike some of the Doors more upbeat moments. The vocals are strong and soulful , but far from doing anything new. Combining elements of both Momma Cass and Janis Joplin, the results are not largely different from a band like Shocking Blue. So full of flower power that aside from the lyrics it's hard to find the more up tempo songs dark.It's three songs in before we come across something that is darker with the song "Your Exploding Heads" . This is has more of a blues soaked swing to it.

One thing I can say this album has going for it is the song are not long drawn out jams like the Devils Blood could sometime wander off into . "You and Eyes" starts of with a great groove and then spaces out into more of a Pink Floyd place, but it works well dynamically. 'Return to Hallucinate" breezed by me the first so perhaps I was having a flash back. Upon second listen it finds it on par with the with rest of the psychedelic flavored rock presented thus far, the chorus having a little more drive than some of the other songs. "Rainbow Mouth" is not unlike sped version of  "Inna Gadda Davida" . 'Minotaure" starts off much slower and builds back into the pace that dominates most of this album.

On of the album's longest journeys is the closer "Anyway the Mind Flows" which is darker . This mood wise comes closer to doom. The chord progressions give more of a wink in that direction. While this song would go over well with fans of doom, I think the album is generally too upbeat for those who are into slow, deep and harder music. Some of the more progressive passages step back from the tension. This album is easy to put on and let fade into the background. It's well played and they have recreated the sound they are going for. I think the way this music can be a slave to the time period they are trying to take you back to is what causes it to falter in the originality department. I will give it an 8 as it has some strong moments in terms of song writing and fans of this sort of thing will enjoy it.

Ancient VVisdom : "33"

This band's first three album's left me underwhelmed, and have struck me as Days of the New trying to be satanic. There is some distortion leading into the first single "Light of Lucifer". The vocals are lower and more ominous, but there is more of a camp fire rock feel than neo-folk.It never really feels like a fully conceptualized song, but like they were sitting around in the studio and said "Well, this could be a good idea for a song we should do something with it" and then forgot about it.  The beginning of "In the Name of Satan" sounds like the build up to "Fade to Black". The vocals begin to get more Ghost on this one. The formula to this album is clearly set the strum of an acoustic guitar against some pretty basic metal power chords. Sonically this works pretty well on "True Will", however the lyrics are almost offensive because they are throwing around Thelemic sentiment and using pedestrian Crowley quotes without knowing the proper context for them.

There is more of a late eighties punk chug to " the Infernal One". Lyrically much like Ghost these guys are juvenile posers when it comes to the occult. The chorus is also a little too happy though after a few listens it grows on me by a few degrees. "Summoning Fallen Angel" is more Judas Priest like , though it's just an interlude and feels like it should have been the intro to the more "Diary of a Madman" like "Rise Fallen Angel". The hook going into the chorus is more Danzig like. But this is the strongest thing I have heard from these guys yet, even if along the way they barrow a little from Rob Zombie and Metallica to get there. The eighth song sounds like they could be busting into hair metal at any point in time. Instead we get a less than inspired croon.

There is a more rambling rock tone to "the Great Beast". The lyrics are over the top, but as far as radio rock n roll goes this song is pretty solid. Fir what they are going for "Lux" is ridicously upbeat and might as well be on a Dashboard Confessional album. The vocals are also a little pitchy which doesn't help things. In giving this a 6 , it puts it ahead of the other bands out put and makes them better than Ghost for sure, to think these guys are awesome you have to be 16 or younger.

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PSYCHEDELIC WITCHCRAFT:"Magick Rites and Spells"

The Italian occult rock band is back with a blend of blues inflected proto-metal that carries enough bong water in it's denim to smell like Pink Floyd at it's most trippy moments. The freedom rock flag flies going into the guitar solos that hearken back to the guitar gods of the 70's. The vocal stick close to the previously established blue print that was set in stone by the first wave of these vest metal bands back almost a decade ago.Virginia Monti has a solid alto croon and the fact she is hot doesn't hurt matters either,though this is a fact that is negated when it come to albums taking up space on my iPod. They pull out a cover of Blue Oyster Cult's "Godzilla" which is a pretty straight forward tribute to the song.

 They take a more aggressive and metallic approach to "Set Me Free", though their bass player steals the show on this one. My first impression is that these guys would be a lot of fun live. "Wicked Dream" plays more to their strengths as it expands the range of melodic elements that they collectively pull from as a unit. The "Dark Lord" follows to the proto-metal formula more closely though I like the fact that they strum the chords out and don't sound like they are just totally drooling over the Sabbath tone. "Angela" steps away from metal into a more rock n roll direction.Lyrically the song is more sinister than what a casual listen to the music might suggest.  This is one of the albums more compelling vocal melodies.

They continue to expand their melodic range on the more ballad like "Lying on Iron" .  "Black Magic Man" is more straight forward rock that doesn't have the nuance other songs here have. It carries more of  a grungy recklessness. "Slave of Grief" is marginally darker an heavier. They guitar continues to have more of a jangle to it that you might expect from this sort of thing. While the album loses a little steam in the last two songs these guys are representing the genre well in a unapologetic fashion. I'll give this one an 8.

Caronte : "Codex Babalon"

The croon of their singer is mix of Gibby Haynes and Danzig. I guess Gibby is a little more of the drug crazed desperation. They are very deliberate rock n roll doom. They lumber around with a drone, that is not without a ballsy drive.The fuzzed out guitars create some very dense layers that might remind some of Electric Wizard. They continue to rock out with "Elixir Rubeus" , but I am not as engaged for this song. They seem to be more into jamming around with heavy sounds more than really hooking you into their songs, if you are hooked in then it's due to the hypnotic throb rather than anything they have done to invite you into their world. This is not to say there is not some emotional investment into their music, and I am sure when they are playing it they are really into it, something intangible is just not connecting. The singer's melodies might be better served doing their own thing like they do on "Rites of High Theurgy" rather than just being bellowed out over the rumble of riffs with nothing to stick to.

They let there songs hover around the nine minute mark. The more rock n roll like melodies the singer chooses have potential as the band as a whole does, there is a 90's post- grunge thing buried under all this wannabe occult murk. Perhaps that just comes from living in Italy, everything has to have a touch of horror movie like occult. I'll give this album a 7.5, I do like this kind of retro doom, though the last song is a little too uptempo to be doom and overall I don't get the darker more mournful vibe that I feel doom should have from them. They do create a psychedelic churning that is heavy in it's own way. These guys have created a familiar yet original sound they just need to fine tune to nuances of song writing amid the density. It was a fun listen for me I just don't feel compelled to give it many more spins.

Van Records releases this July 22nd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrAkSetkxZw&feature=youtu.be

Blizaro : " Cornucopia Della Morte"

I'm not sure if Ghost is to thank for the current trend of bands digging in the vaults of record stores for elusive copies of albums by Coven and Black Widow to re-create the creepy horror psyche that pre-dates metal. That is not to say the album doesn't owe anything to Black Sabbath as some of the more lurching harder riffs do. The over all vibe is very late 60's proto-metal. Main man John Gallo's voice reminds me of Craig Wedren from Shudder to Think, though not as flamboyant. Though I can also hear some Candlemass in there as well, he just doesn't have the operatic power to bellow it out like Messiah. Their is more of a metallic feel to the  second part of the four part Nemesis song cycle that opens the album. The guitar playing get more impressive as the record progresses. The vocals benefit from the effects slapped on them for the fourth part of "Nemesis".

Dripping with vintage synths there is a pretty smooth groove to "Giallo". Some of the keyboard melodies to bring to mind  horror soundtracks of the early 70s.There is a loose jammy feel to this song , which I imagine works really well live. This proggy vibe carries over into "Frozen Awakening". This turns back the clock to the early days of what we now think of as metal. The drummer shows his chops on this one and the guitar takes on more of a chug to the point of getting closer to Diamond Head's back yard. This builds into a rawer fury by they time they get to their cover of Paul Chain's "Voyage to Hell" invoking a more primal version of Candlemass.

The trippy synths return on "the Staircase". The song warbles to life with the groove shifting under the heavy layer of Moog. This is another jammy instrumental. The guitar playing is not shabby at all and this is sure to be a good time live, but not something I would listen to on my iPod on a daily basis.  "Stygian Gate" rocks like early Iron Maiden. If you were being lead to believe this album is doom, my only question is "Is "Killers" a Doom album ?"  If you answered yes, it's still not too late to drink Drano. The instrumental section continue to impress, but also come across like they are just jamming. This album made a pretty good first impression on me, I am unsure how much of a craving I am going to have for repeat listens, but I will give this one a 8.5 as it succeeds in doing what this album set out to accomplish, aside from the fact this is not a doom album.

Arcana 13 : "Danza Macabra"

Comprised of members from Mnemic and Void of Sleep and like many Italian metal bands finds inspiration from the countries cult horror movie scene. There brand of doom draws influence from the throne of Sabbath and some of it's earliest worshippers such as Pentagram. So there is often a rock boogie feel to it. The opener is well done , but sticks pretty close to a color by numbers blue print. So going into this album what I am listening for is where they stray from that and show me who they are . The songs are typically bookended by pieces of horror movie atmosphere. The pace picks up going into the second song to give it a heavier Electric Wizard like intensity. I think "Land of Revenge" is a stronger song as the vocals have more purpose , where they seemed to be obligatory on the first two songs. Vocally things are song in a very plaintive tenor that recalls middle of the road 70's hard rock like Blue Oyster Cult.


They turn a darker and more melodic corner at the beginning of " Oblivion Mushroom" before it's business as usual for this sort of thing and they are chugging the same path paved by Iommi. The Suspiria theme song that is a cover of Goblin's version, not not the albums high point. The riff to "Blackmaster" has more groove to it , the vocals to do ride it as gracefully as they could. They don't wow me until we get to the song "Holy Cult of Suicide". Then everything clicks in place and I'm wondering , now why hasn't there been more of this ? "Hell Behind You" continues to find the band showing their true selves as the dive down deeper into more melodic territory. The vocals sound like the guy is using his real voice and not trying to front a Blue Oyster Cult, even when they hit the "Mississippi Queen" section of the song and boogie down. The album does hit these two glorious songs in the final act, but is also bogged down by typical retro metal, so I'll give it a 7.5, which shows these guys have promise and if this is your kind of party and you don't need much more then you might even round it up.
 

Christian Mistress : "To Your Death" review & "Open Road" video

The air of hip, slick, and coolness about that album has been replaced by more of a  Pat Bentar thing going on with the opener with traces of Judas Priest's more radio rock moments coating the edges. Singer Christine Davis does have a better knack for the placement of her melodies than many of the so-called occult rock bands that cropped up in their wake. "Stronger Than Blood" is a little heavier thought that invokes the days when rock and metal were not as far removed from one another as they are today, so bands like Thin Lizzy and early Iron Maiden come to mind in the guitar harmonies.

Despite the Trooper-like gallop that "No Place" takes on it doesn't grab me like the first two songs do. There is a Van Halen-like opening to "Walkin Around" The song goes into a more upbeat gallop than the previous songs. This album does pay more homage to classic metal than "Possession" and could be said to have a retro feel. The twin guitar attack is very melodic, but also feels like it is pushed way forward in the mix like they are standing on the monitors looming over you. Though it should be heavier to due the manner the pace is picked up for some reason "Open Road" isn't heavier. It might be a feel thing. With metal, you can't fake the funk, either the aggression is in you are it's not, so it could be said that they are playing metal notes, but just don't have aggression in them. To play metal and mean it there needs to be some form of darkness, that you are not just giving lip service too. I think that is why their last album was so effective is that it wasn't trying to be metal it just was what they are.\


They chill out on "Ultimate Freedom" and this feels more like who they really are. When this song does build the more metal elements are the more effective they have been on this album and their drummer Rueben Storey really proves himself. "Lone Wild" takes on a doomier tone that works well to darken things up. This take on metal is much more authentic to who they are as a band. They go more into almost Motley Crue style of rock sans cowbell on "III". I like the riff , but "Too Fast For Love" was also one of my first albums. Not sure if it really holds up as an instrumental since Davis' voice is their signature, but it's worth the listen.  Overall, you can't argue with their influences and even when it seems like might not be feeling it as much their musicianship pulls them through the tough spot, they hit more than they miss and bring some impressive moments to the table along with some songs that knock it out of the park in places, so I'll give it an 8.5.

The album will be released on Relapse Records on Sept 18th.

Uncle Acid and the Dead Beats : " the Night Creeper"

My only real knowledge of this band going into this was that they came in one the heels of Ghost. So I had it my head they were going to be a more hippy take on occult rock rather than the dense and dirty desert rock that is being churned out here. While they are not reinventing the pentagram, their influences are more varied and blended into the thick fuzz that coats these songs. I would go as far as to say they are doom. There are several moments that musically remind me of Alice Cooper. The vocals are a layered tenor, that are more similar to Coopers more melodic moments, but if filtered through Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult.

Whlie not doom they take on "Murder Nights"  an eerier creep to their post- flower power hard rock this give a darker melodic sound that gives this song an edge over the opener. They continue to flirt with the shadowy side of the 60s on "Downtown". Much like more modern Ozzy the singer's voice is always coated in effects. "Pusher-Man" is not the Steppen-wolf song, though it would make perfect sense for them to cover that. It grooves with  heavier throb to it's pulse. In some of the singer's phrasing I can here some Lennon influence. They indulge in a more mellowed out instrumental interlude on "Yellow Moon".


I like the sinister groove to " Melody Lane" which is the first song that clicked with me within the first few chords. It is one of the first songs where I hear strong metal leanings.The title track has an ominous groove , but the vocals but not so much that I would call it doom. The techno color coat of pyschedlia floats around the heady heaviness, as the vocals cry out with an insane trembling mixing John Lennon with Ozzy. There is dark strut to "Inside" that sounds like Alice Cooper terrorizing the Beatles on Spahn Ranch with a head full of bad acid in them. They take and even darker yet more mellowed approach to the hazy pulse of "Slow Death".The album goes out on a more drug induced whimper with "Black Motorcade" that is almost more of an outro than an actual song. While the album got off to a strong start and impressed me it began to fizzle out toward the end. I'll give it a 7 and hope it grows on me because due to the song I dug I want to like this more so we shall see how it stands the test of time, but right now it feels like King Dude, already fills this dark spot on my iPod.

6

Ghost : "Meliora"

Ok...here's my deal with this band. I like their first album. Hated the second. People assume I will like them because I love King Diamond, but that in it's self is a reason to not like them as they are making bank on ripping off both the King , though now in just theatrics and Blue Oyster Cult which from the first song on their new album seems to be a more accurate direction of where they are headed in fact in even more of a 70s prog direction than before as keyboards are playing such a prominent role. What they are not on this album is a metal band. The first single off of this album I did not like because I thought whatever version of Poppa Smurferretus they are on now sounds like Chester from Linkin Park.

They do pump the bass up and get a little harder on " From the Pinnacle to the Pit" . It seems like satanic lyrics are toned down if at all. If Erik from Watain had not said to my face that they were serious occultists in this band I would have assumed the whole thing was a joke and maybe he was talking about the first Poppa Smurferretus they had and now they are just trying to keep up appearances. There is a huge Blue Oyster Cult moment in this song, and if you are a fan of this band I suggest catching Blue Oyster Cult when they tour this fall. Two songs in and I'm thinking this is better than the last album and I'm ignoring the covers ep when I say this. Then comes the Linkin Park sounding vocal on the first single. This gets bitch slapped by the rule we have here that cool riffs alone do not make a good song. He can feel the thunder breaking in your heart, should be parodied by Weird Al as "I can hear the wind breaking in your fart". But like fart jokes its annoying at first but begins to grow on me.

"He is " finds the band in Moody Blues' zip code. It starts off as a folk and goes into something that would have been on adult contemporary radio in the 70s. Its pop but from another decade. They get heavier on "Mummy Dust". But even here it's no heavier than Judas Priest's wimpy 80s moments. The vocals are lower and slathered in effects and remind me a little of Alice Cooper.  The keyboards continue to take more solos than the guitar adding to the prog lite element. The vocals get a Queen / Uriah Heap layering toward the end. If you don't know your classic rock then you might think this is some next level shit , but the first riff in "Majesty" jacks a riff from "Woman In Tokyo" ...that's Deep Purple if you don't know nothing about anything. It takes a Dio like gallop with the keyboard more heavily draped over it than anything off "Sacred Heart'. Production wise aside from the synths taking over the album everything sounds great. The drummer sounds like he has really improved and the more prog direction gives them room to flex their chops.

The organ interlude "Devil Church" sets up one of the album's most metal moments "Absolution" . Which sounds like Chester from Linkin Parker singing for Iced Earth. Matt Barlow would not be happy. The  most metal moment is short lived  due to pop prog chorus changing the mood.  The you will cry part before the guitar solo sounds like 80s Yes. The album closes with "Deus In Absentina" which is very Styx. Lyrically the song is decent. This whole AOR slant the album has taken is better than the last album by a long shot. Overall compared to the first album this Ghost isn't very haunting and often gets too happy for me on the choruses. So aside from things not being as dark as I would want it's way better than their last album I'll give it a 7.5, but don't see myself needed to go back for many repeat listens.

Sabbath Assembly : "s/t" album review & "Ave Satanas" video

This New York band  could be lumped in with the whole occult rock scene in the same way In Solitude could also be pegged into that hole.  They lean toward the Church of Final Judgement lyrically, though it's not heavy handed here, where in the past they were writing straight up hymns for. The first two songs come on strong, they start of with swirling chaos and then as quick as you can throw up devil horns fly int a very Merciful Fate sounding riff. Then they follow this up with a song that carries a more ominous stomp. The vocals line where she chants the line that includes the song's title "this is like confessing a murder" is pretty catchy.

Just when I am about to write off "Burn Me, I Thirst For Fire" as being convoluted they lock into a heavier riff and  turn things around. The first riff to "Only You" starts off as straight u metal , then they ease off of it , only to have the drums bring them back into a more rocking section in time for the solo. "Fiery Angel of Desire" doesn't grab me until it breaks down into the more subtle passage midway into the song and it takes a turn for the better from their. One thing that strikes me about this band is how their singer doesn't try to do that melodramatic Grace Slick thing that afflicts many bands of this ilk.

"Ave Satanas" jerks you back and forth and is the first song where I can hear the retro vibe that is more prominent in this kind of thing. "The Earth's Sharp Edge"  has more of a hard rock chug to it. On the line where she sings "my fever is high" the song starts to soar. The bass player really gets busy underneath the guitar solo. Aside from the fact you can bet it's going to get heavier, this band doesn't have a formula, instead they take you are a crazed journey with many twists and turns. "Apparition of the Revolution" takes a bluesy doom course. The guitar solo on this song is ripping and is the point where the song takes a heavier turn. "Shadows of Emptiness" closes the album out on a more delicate folk like note. It certainly allow their singer to flex her pipes. Here are some slight Stevie Nicks moment. This is where they really fake you out as you are waiting for the heavy that never comes, which I can respect writing a ballad every now and then. Right of the bat I'll give this album a 9, I have a feeling it will grow on me as it sounds more natural and organic than the Demon Lung album which I also like, not sure if the ballad will make it to the iPod, but if you want something different from the Occult rock scene this is way more legit than Ghost.

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Lewis and the Strange Magics : "Velvet Skin"

If you have ever wondered why all the occult rock bands aside from Ghost  have female singers here is what happens when a dude steps up to the mic. It really brings out the early 70s vibe. Its not actual metal,  guess it is what is being called proto metal. Very Blue Oyster Cult meets early Pentagram. The guitar jangles into a shuffle. The singer sounds a little strained when he tries to reach up into a head register, never quiet makes it up into falsetto.  "How to Be You" mixes the strut of "Brown Sugar" with Alice Cooper attitude. The keyboard solos rip more than the guitar.The darkest part so far is when they come back in after the solo section. Some dark keys open "Suzy's Room", The shuffle of this upbeat song is a little bit of a mixed bag.

The first riff that could be argued as metal pops up in "Golden Threads". The vocals are a little lower and carry more balls in the delivery. The Deep Purple influence colors certain sections of this song. An almost funk beat starts of "Nina". He jives his way through the verse and the choruses are more sung. The guitarist has chops , but he works best in certain avenues. They venture close to prog on "Female Vampire". The boogie down groove works well against some of the more Yes like key board fills. These guys are talented enough to blend their jams into the songs. The first Black Sabbath like riff doesn't appear until "Cloudy Grey Cube".

There are Beatles like harmonies at the beginning of "Your Evil Trip". The staccato vocal is more Alice Cooper to me. Midway into the song the go off on a crazy key board solo. The lyrics don't make any sense  but if they are about tripping then they don't have to. I'll give this one an 8.5 , some of it is too up beat for me , but I like where they are going with this and are one of the only bands to get that time period right.

Lucifer : "Lucifer I"

This is a little slicker than I imagined , but before I pressed play my call on this was a cross between Ghost and any of the female fronted vest rock bands that came out a few years ago. I was not too far off base. It's more 80s than 70s. The groove at three minute mark of the first song was not expected so I am going to keep an open mind.The second song slows into a more typical hard rock. The chorus reminds me of Pat Benatar or Heart. The second song get a little boring. The guitar solo sounds less than inspired. The retro thing seemed more honest on the first Ghost album. They dial things up into this decade on "Eclipse". The lyrics are way less Satanic than I thought they would be going into this.

 Of course of you are going to have a song called "Sabbath" it has to be doomy. This is a much better direction for this band to head in. They hover around similar , but with a little more of a torch song feel from the vocals on "Izrael". The more up temp[o section of this song reminds me of Queens of the Stoneage. Not a specific song , just feels like something they would do back when they used to rock out more. The Thin Lizzy boogie section this song goes into is the best part."White Mountain" makes me pretty indifferent to it. There is not anything I dislike about it but nothing that sell me on it either. "Mourning Star" finds it self in another boring middle ground. It sounds good but there is nothing else to it. They close out with the heaviest chug on the album. But this is not much more than a throw away riff you can find on a hundred other albums at least.

I'll round this one down to a 6.5. There were a few surprises, but nothing to make up for some thing that was way too middle of the road to be called Lucifer, but that really isn't the most creative name in the book and makes this band sound like they are trying to hard which in some ways they are. Many of these bands get by on the lead singers looks, and femi-nazis dispute this all you like, but if this was a guy could this band have gotten away with playing this kind of music. They are not as bad with this as Pretty Reckless, but it gets them by. They are on the High On Fire tour so I guess we shall see them.

Hands of Orlac: "Figli Del Crepuscolo"

How do you feel about Italian Horror movies? This is the first question that needs to be asked when going into Hands of Orlac's new album. They embrace the sound tracks of those cult classics and blend them with straight up vest metal. It's more genuine than anything Ghost is putting out now even with it's flute solos and Devil's Blood can never return. These guys and ghouls embrace that style of occult rock. Two minutes into the first real song 'last Fatal Drop' they really get heads banging and fist pumping , before ripping into a guitar solo. The Flute does at times really call forth Blood Ceremony, but this alum is much darker than the more freedom rock hippy dippy vibes Blood Ceremony began to embrace.

There heavier moments embrace a rawer brand of dark metal, like Mercyful Fate or the first two Iron Maiden albums. Yet these teeth are not bared for long before the smoke flows like the Mystery Machine and we are mellowing out. The guitar attack is the albums strong point. The vocals work for what they are doing, but tend to float around in a similar range. They creep from one minor key to the next.The sampled screams work well over the power metal bombast of "A Coin in the Heart". This song goes on an Iron Maiden like adventure, galloping all over the battle field.

They get even darker on "Noctua". The tight palm muted chug keeps the song moving amongst the gloom it casts.There is a very cool break down that reminds me of solo Ozzy around the five minute mark.It has a kind of "Little Dolls" feel. "Ghost Story" is on of the more melodic songs on the album, but the opening verse doesn't connect with me, yet the chorus does. So it's a mixed bag.The doom comes on thick with the oppressive"Mill of the Stone Women". It finds a pretty good chug later on in the song , but it's first half kinds faded in the background .

Overall this album is a fun listen. They suceed at the atmop
shere they are trying to create. If you are a fan of the whole occult rock/ vest metal retro thing then it is worth your while. I like it because not only does it have that classic metal feel it is a darker take on it. With that said I am not sure it's something I need to own, but will give it a 8 none the less.

Occultation : "Silence in the Ancestral House"

Occult rock got to be a thing some where on the heals of Devil's Blood and Ghost. Most were retro doom with female belters fronting the band. While none have really been able to hold a candle to the Devil's Blood, Selim is dead and I am over it enough to accept contenders. My first outing with this band the production was so re-verbed out it was hard for the album to hold any balls.

This go around the production is improved and they are going a slightly darker route. There are winding prog riffs that spill out from the gloom.There guitarist hails from Negative Plane, so he is no slouch and not unlike the last album the band's strong point. The vocalist sits more properly in the mix, her melodies are more obtuse than not, leaving the guitar to pick up the slack. At times she has abandoned the Grace Slick thing for a more Siouxsie approach, but never locks in and drifts around the winding riffs.They find a more traditional doom vibe on "All Hallow's Fire" that works and allows the more Blue Oyster Cult guitar explorations to wander, while  having something to ground them.
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"The Place Behind the Sky" takes on a hypnotic tone with almost neo classical King Crimson like intervals. This lulls you into a trance and fades into the back ground.The vocals almost lock in on "The Dream Tide", but everything is swirling around it in such a fashion it is hard to imagine where they should fall so perhaps its working. They do have all the elements fall into place on "Forever Hereafter" even the vocals works here. The drumming is pretty creative, knowing when the groovy almost disco beat works best and is rarely taking a more metal approach.

The title track closes out the album and opens with a much more Siouxsie like feel. I had heard death rock thrown around in regards to this album and it's not really founded in any ting but slight turns to a more shadow like side of the band. At the three minute mark the band touches on a section that really moves the song then drops it down to just the bass line and spookiness.

I will give this one an 8.5, it sounds better and the songs do have proggy almost middle eastern elements that pull you into the trip, but the effects of this drug disorient me in a way where I can not feel where the song is going or if it's like a spinning room and the motion leads to the same place over and over.