Sahg - Demon Born (Drakkar Entertainment)
A new Sahg recorded dropped in the promo folder? Yes please! I was not sure the Norwegian band was still together, but not only are they still rocking, their first record in six years, Born Demon, may be their best. Holy crap was I blown away on first listen, and it keeps getting better and better.
Demon Born is some awesome straight ahead hard rock/metal with obvious proto and doom influences. But the main take away from this record is that it kneels at the altar of Satan and flat-out rocks, while being super catchy at the same time. Fall Into The Fire is a straight out of the gate metal burner that leads to the excellent riff heavy House Of Worship. This record is evil, like if Ghost’s ultimate goal was to just be evil shit and not sell out arenas (full disclosure, I love Ghost). Obey the dark redeemer!!!! A total ripper. I love the evil gang vocals on this track as well.
Olav Iversen’s voice is in top form and the trio is super tight. The title track is some sweet Sabbath worship pulled off perfectly and with maximum evil and an awesome Kiss Sure Know Something vocal breakdown. Trust me, you just have to hear it to understand. Descendants Of The Devil is pure proto evil and reminds me very much of the killer record from last year by Doctor Smoke, which was my number two album of the year last year. All of Demon Born reminds me of that record; oh, what a one two punch for something like the proto evil tour that would be. I mention Ghost again because as evil as these guys want to be they are also just so damn catchy (also like Doctor Smoke).
Black Cross On The Moonsticks with you, especially that chorus, and we get some spooky keys buried in the mix too for a nice effect for what may be my favourite track on the record. The album is filled with three to four-minute blasts of evil, case in point being the trad metal ripper Evil Immortal. I hear a lot of the band Haunt in this track, same with the equally awesome and evil Salvation Damnation and Killer Spirit which both bring the super catchy sing along in hell choruses and remind me of Trevor Church’s other band Beastmaker. Killer Spirit may have a part when a demon is actually spawned, I will let the listener decide. Heksedans is a Norwegian pop hit (sang in the native language) made evil by Sahg and is a fun edition to the record and just shows how the band perfectly blends their brand of evil metal with their pop sensibilities. The closer, Destroyer Of The Earth, crushes you with doomy riffs and slowly bludgeons you into submission to finish up this evil mass.
Sahg has delivered an unlikely album of the year candidate. From me thinking they were done to me gushing over the trad/proto/doom ripper, Demon Born is an absolute must listen. Be ready to worship, not just the dark one, but at the altar of Sahg. 9/10
Ruby The Hatchet - Fear Is A Cruel Master (Magnetic Eye Records)
The fourth full length from the excellent Philadelphia based proto/psych band Ruby The Hatchet took me a few listens to really get it. Fear Is A Cruel Master is a collection of tracks that leverage a bunch of cool influences of the band that melds all of it into a killer 70s/90s inspired mash of straight up killer rock. But it is a bit of a grower. Initially the tracks did not jump at me as an evolution of the band, but at around the fourth listen it started to click, and I realised this is a keeper for sure.
The proto psych 70s influence on Fear Is A Cruel Master Is pretty obvious, but to me there is this underlying 90s feel from this band that I cannot shake. The opening track, The Change is an upbeat proto ripper lead by the haunting and beautiful vocals of Jillian Taylor. It has a 70s proto feel but there is something so catchy and inherently pop in this song it could have been a radio hit in 1977. Deceiver has a great riff and a nice crunch to partner with Taylor’s vocals. There is a Heart vibe going on throughout this record. Not in that the voice or playing reminds me of the Seattle legends, but it is more of a lurking presence.
Midway through you get a nice NWOBHM feel bringing the track home. Primitive Man is more 70s proto goodness with a slice of doom, lead by a nice riff and the ever-present keys that takes RTH to the next level. My only complaint is that the keys on this track and all the others are buried in the mix a bit. I would love to hear them more forward given how damn cool they make all the tracks on Fear Is A Cruel Master. My favourite track isSoothsayer, which answers the question what if Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac took more shrooms than cocaine. This is my favourite track on the record; a spooky journey through a haunted forest with a killer psych interlude where the guitars and keys line up to protect our traveller on his trip to see the man.
This is another killer addition to the Ruby The Hatchet discography. A little less psych and a bit more proto/doom than in the past, but a perfect combination of both. I could ask for a bit more of the keys up front, but the vocals are amazing as usual, the record otherwise overall sounds great, and these are some of the best songs the band has written. Fear Is A Cruel Master is a must listen. 8/10
All Souls - Ghosts Among Us (Oscura Records)
All Souls have had a busy year in 2022, with the killer live split on Ripple Music with legends Fatso Jetson and now their sophomore full length release, Ghosts Among Us. The Los Angeles based band have taken a real step forward with their third record, blending their desert/riff rock with some darkness that boarders on goth rock vibes to make a unique sound not generally heard from the stoner/desert bands today.
I would argue Ghosts Among Us leans more to the goth side than their stoner side, resulting in a dark trip though a haunted desert. Kicking off with I Dream, you get a great riff but that dark vibe that hangs over this record, executed perfectly. Antonio Aguilar’s vocals have a spooky feel to them, like his riffs. There is a shaky urgency in both, that creates the unique All Souls signature sound. The stoner/goth vibes continue on Roam, which reminds me of a darker version of QOTSA. I am not going to throw in a lot of band comparisons because All Souls to me is unique, case in point with the slow burner Poison The Well, which is dark, powerful and exudes emotion.
The other cool thing about this record is how it sounds. It is uniquely produced, nothing overly done and perfect for their vibe. A perfect example is Marjorie, which sounds like a heavier Concrete Blonde (I said I wasn’t going to compare to other bands, but this one just popped into my head), and may be my favourite track on the record. Tracks Who Holds The Answer and Key To Your Heart are additional standout tracks that continue the dark and catchy as hell theme you get from all nine tracks on Ghosts Among Us. The closer, Absquatulate, is a very 90s style dark alt rock track that is a perfect closer for the record.
I totally dig the new All Souls, and it is an excellent step forward from their stellar debut. The dark desert feel is unique and stands out as such amongst the absolute deluge of great material released in rock this year. 8/10
Black Royal - Earthbound (M-Theory Audio)
Black Royal is back with their third slab of stoner death. I love their last album, Firebride, eve though I really prefer more clean vocals in my metal. The track Coven from that record was one of my favourite songs of 2020. The Finnish foursome bring more of that heaviness to their latest, Earthbound, but can it hold up to that absolute ripper from two years ago?
The short answer is almost. There is not a Coven on Earthbound, but this is some solid stoner death. First off, you must be good with the growling vocals with no cleanliness in sight. But you get some serious doomy heaviness and riffs from the title track right off the bat. Ghosts Of The Dead is the perfect example of what stoner death is, an up-tempo burner and thick riffs with guttural growls. This track almost has a chill moment to it during the solo where if you replaced the vocalist with, say, the dude from Valley Of The Sun this would be everyone’s favourite band. This track also has some Opeth vibes with the inclusion of some keys. Conjuration is more death than stoner, but still more death and roll than straight ahead death metal. Songs like Law Of Nature sound and 13th Moon like Midnight and those types of bands. I also hear some Amon Amarth without the silly Viking stuff. Some good tracks and some not so memorable.
I think I went in hoping this one could top Firebride, and that may have been a mistake. This is a solid release but is not really a step forward from their last full length, but fans of the bad should dig this. You will only truly enjoy if you can work with the vocals. If you want a crooner, this one is not for you, but if you dig the growl and enjoy the death and roll stuff check it out, but if you are new to the band start with Firebride. 6/10