We roll on in this new-year-smelling 2023 with day two of the Quarterly Review. Yesterday was pretty easy, but the first day almost always is. Usually by Thursday I’m feeling it. Or the second Tuesday. It varies. In any case, as you know, this QR is a double, which means it’s going to include 100 albums total, written about between yesterday and next Friday. Ton of stuff, and most of it is 2022, but generally later in the year, so at least I’m only a couple months behind your no doubt on-the-ball listening schedule.

Look. I can’t pretend to keep up with a Spotify algorithm, I’m sorry. I do my best, but that’s essentially a program to throw bands in your face (while selling your data and not paying artists). My hope is that being able to offer a bit of context when I throw 100 bands in your face is enough of a difference to help you find something you dig. Some semblance of curation. Maybe I’m flattering myself. I’m pretty sure Spotify can inflate its own ego now too.

Winter 2023 Quarterly Review #11-20:

Antimatter, A Profusion of Thought

Project founder, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mick Moss isn’t through opener “No Contact” — one of the 10 inclusions on Antimatter‘s 54-minute eighth LP, A Profusion of Thought — before he readily demonstrates he can carry the entire album himself if need be. Irish Cuyos offers vocals on the subsequent “Paranoid Carbon” and Liam Edwards plays live drums where applicable, but with a realigned focus on programmed elements, his own voice the constant that surrounds various changes in mood and purpose, and stretches of insularity even on the full-band-sounding “Fools Gold” later on, the self-released outing comes across as more inward than the bulk of 2018’s Black Market Enlightenment, though elements like the acoustic-led approach of “Breaking the Machine,” well-produced flourishes of layering and an almost progressive-goth (proggoth?) atmosphere carry over. “Redshift” balances these sides well, as does fold before it, and “Templates” before that, and “Fools Gold” after, as Antimatter thankfully continues to exist in a place of its own between melancholic heavy, synthesized singer-songwriterism and darker, doom-born-but-not-doom metal, all of which seem to be summarized in the closing salvo of “Entheogen,” “Breaking the Machine” and “Kick the Dog.” Moss is a master of his craft long-established, and a period of isolation has perhaps led to some of the shifting balance here, but neither the album nor its songs are done a disservice by that.

Antimatter on Facebook

Antimatter on Bandcamp

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Mick’s Jaguar, Salvation

There was a point, maybe 15 years ago now give or take, when at least Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City were awash in semi-retro, jangly-but-rough-edged-to-varying-degrees rock and roll bands. Some sounded like Joan Jett, some sounded like the Ramones, or The Strokes or whoever. On Salvation, their second LP, Mick’s Jaguar bring some chunky Judas Priest riffing, no shortage of attitude, and as the five-piece — they were six on 2018’s Fame and Fortune (review here) — rip into a proto-shredder like “Speed Dealer,” worship Thin Lizzy open string riffing on “Nothing to Lose” or bask in what would be sleaze were it not for the pandemic making any “Skin Contact” at all a serotonin spike, they effectively hop onto either side of the line where rock meets heavy. Also the longest track at 4:54, “Molotov Children” is a ’70s-burly highlight, and “Handshake Deals” is an early-arriving hook that seems to make everything after it all the more welcome. “Man Down” and “Free on the Street” likewise push their choruses toward anthemic barroom sing-alongs, and while I’m not sure those bars haven’t been priced out of the market and turned into unoccupied investment luxury condos by now, rock and roll’s been declared dead in New York at least 100,000 times and it obviously isn’t, so there.

Mick’s Jaguar on Facebook

Tee Pee Records store

Totem Cat Records store

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Sammal, Aika laulaa

Long live Finnish weird. More vintage in their mindset than overall presentation, Sammal return via the ever-reliable Svart Records with Aika Laulaa, the follow-up to 2018’s Suuliekki (review here) and their fourth album total, with eight songs and 43 minutes that swap languages lyrically between Finnish, Swedish and English as fluidly as they take progressive retroism and proto-metal to a place of their own that is neither, both, and more. From the languid lead guitar in “Returning Rivers” to the extended side-enders “On Aika Laulaa” with its pastoralized textures and “Katse Vuotaa” with its heavy blues foundation, willfully brash surge, and long fade, the band gracefully skip rocks across aesthetic waters, opening playful and Scandi-folk-derived on “På knivan” before going full fuzz in “Sehr Kryptisch,” turning the three-minute meander of “Jos ei pelaa” into a tonal highlight and resolving the instrumental “(Lamda)” (sorry, the character won’t show up) with a jammy soundscape that at least sounds like it’s filled out by organ if it isn’t. A band who can go wherever they want and just might actually dare to do so, Sammal reinforce the notion of their perpetual growth and Aika laulaa is a win on paper for that almost as much as for the piano notes cutting through the distortion on “Grym maskin.” Almost.

Sammal on Facebook

Svart Records store

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Cassius King, Dread the Dawn

Former Hades guitarist Dan Lorenzo continues a personal riffy renaissance with Cassius King‘s Dread the Dawn, one of several current outlets among Vessel of Light and Patriarchs in Black. On Dread the Dawn, the New Jersey-based Lorenzo, bassist Jimmy Schulman (ex-Attacker) and drummer Ron Lipnicki (ex-Overkill) — the rhythm section also carried over from Vessel of Light — and vocalist Jason McMaster offer 11 songs and 49 minutes of resoundingly oldschool heavy, Dio Sabbath-doomed rock. Individual tracks vary in intent, but some of the faster moments on “Royal Blooded” or even the galloping opener “Abandon Paradise” remind of Candlemass tonally and even rockers like “How the West Was Won,” “Bad Man Down” and “Back From the Dead” hold an undercurrent of classic metal, never mind the creeper riff of the title-track or its eight-minute companion-piece, the suitably swinging “Doomsday.” Capping with a bonus take on Judas Priest‘s “Troubleshooter,” Dread the Dawn has long since by then gotten its point across but never failed to deliver in either songwriting or performance. They strut, and earn it.

Cassius King on Facebook

MDD Records store

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Seven Rivers of Fire, Way of the Pilgrim

Issued on tape through UK imprint Dub Cthonic, the four-extended-tracker Way of the Pilgrim is the second 2022 full-length from South African solo folk experimentalist Seven Rivers of Fire — aka William Randles — behind September’s Sanctuary (review here) and March’s Star Rise, and its mostly acoustic-based explorations are as immersive and hypnotic as ever as the journey from movement to movement in “They are Calling // Exodus” (11:16) sets up processions through the drone-minded “Awaken // The Passenger” (11:58), “From the Depths // Into the Woods” (12:00) and “Ascend // The Fall” (11:56), Randles continuing to dig into his own particular wavelength and daring to include some chanting and other vocalizations in the opener and “From the Depths // Into the Woods” and the piano-laced finale. Each piece has an aural theme of its own and sets out from there, feeling its way forward with what feels like a genuinely unplanned course. Way of the Pilgrim isn’t going to be for everybody, as with all of Seven Rivers of Fire‘s output, but those who can tune to its frequencies are going to find its resonance continual.

Seven Rivers of Fire on Facebook

Dub Cthonic on Bandcamp

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Amon Acid, Cosmogony

Leeds-based psychedelic doomers Amon Acid channel the grimmer reaches of the cosmic — and a bit of Cathedral in “Hyperion” — on their fifth full-length in four years, second of 2022, Cosmogony. The core duo of guitarist/vocalist/synthesist Sarantis Charvas and bassist/cellist Briony Charvas — joined on this nine-tracker by the singly-named Smith on drums — harness stately space presence and meditative vibes on “Death on the Altar,” the guitar ringing out vague Easternisms while the salvo that started with “Parallel Realm” seems only to plunge further and further into the lysergic unknown. Following the consuming culmination of “Demolition Wave” and the dissipation of the residual swirl there, the band embark on a series of shorter cuts with “Nag Hammandi,” the riff-roller “Mandragoras,” the gloriously-weird-but-still-somehow-accessible “Demon Rider” and the this-is-our-religion “Ethereal Mother” before the massive buildup of “The Purifier” begins, running 11 minutes, which isn’t that much longer than the likes of “Parallel Realm” or “Death on the Altar,” but rounds out the 63-minute procession with due galaxial churn just the same. Plodding and spacious, I can’t help but feel like if Amon Acid had a purposefully-dumber name they’d be more popular, but in the far, far out where they reside, these things matter less when there are dimensions to be warped.

Amon Acid on Facebook

Helter Skelter Productions website

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Iron & Stone, Mountains and Waters

The original plan from Germany’s Iron & Stone was that the four-song Mountains and Waters was going to be the first in a sequence of three EP releases. As it was recorded in Fall 2020 — a time, if you’ll recall, when any number of plans were shot to hell — and only released this past June, I don’t know if the band are still planning to follow it with another two short offerings or not, but for the bass in “Loose the Day” alone, never mind the well-crafted heavy fuzz rock that surrounds on all sides, I’m glad they finally got this one out. Opener “Cosmic Eye” is catchy and comfortable in its tempo, and “Loose the Day” answers with fuzz a-plenty while “Vultures” metes out swing and chug en route to an airy final wash that immediately bleeds into “Unbroken,” which is somewhat more raucous and urgent of riff, but still has room for a break before its and the EP’s final push. Iron & Stone are proven in my mind when it comes to heavy rock songwriting, and they seem to prefer short releases to full-lengths — arguments to be made on either side, as ever — but whether or not it’s the beginning of a series, Mountains and Waters reaffirms the band’s strengths, pushes their craft to the forefront, and celebrates genre even as it inhabits it. There’s nothing more one might ask.

Iron & Stone on Facebook

Iron & Stone on Bandcamp

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DR​Ö​Ö​G, DR​Ö​Ö​G

To be sure, there shades of are discernible influences in DR​Ö​Ö​G‘s self-titled Majestic Mountain Records first long-player, from fellow Swedes Graveyard, Greenleaf, maybe even some of earlier Abramis Brama‘s ’70s vibes, but these are only shades. Thus it is immediately refreshing how unwilling the self-recording core duo of Magnus Vestling and Daniel Engberg are to follow the rules of style, pushing the drums far back into the mix and giving the entire recording a kind of far-off feel, their classic and almost hypnotic, quintessentially Swedish (and in Swedish, lyrically-speaking) heavy blues offered with hints of psychedelic flourish and ready emergence. The way “Stormhatt” seems to rise in the space of its own making. The fuller fuzz of “Blodörn.” The subtle tension of the riff in the second half of “Nattfjärilar.” In songs mostly between six and about eight minutes long, DR​Ö​Ö​G distinguish themselves in tone — bass and hard-strummed guitar out front in “Hamnskiftaren” along with the vocals — and melody, creating an earthy atmosphere that has elements of svensk folkmusik without sounding like a caricature of that or anything else. They’ve got me rewriting my list of 2022’s best debut albums, and already looking forward to how they grow this sound going on from here.

DR​Ö​Ö​G on Facebook

Majestic Mountain Records store

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Grales, Remember the Earth but Never Come Back

Rare is a record so thoroughly screamed that is also so enhanced by its lyrics. Hello, Remember the Earth but Never Come Back. Based in Montreal — home to any number of disaffected sludgy noisemakers — Grales turn apocalyptic dystopian visions into poetry on the likes of “All Things are Temporary,” and anti-capitalist screed on “From Sea to Empty Sea” and “Wretched and Low,” tying together anthropocene planet death with the drive of human greed in concise, sharp, and duly harsh fashion. Laced with noise, sludged to the gills it’s fortunate enough to have so it can breathe in the rising ocean waters, and pointed in its lurch, the five-song/43-minute outing takes the directionless fuckall of so many practitioners of its genre and sets itself apart by knowing and naming exactly what it’s mad about. It’s mad about wage theft, climate change, the hopelessness that surrounds most while a miserly few continue to rape and pillage what should belong to everybody. The question asked in “Agony” answers itself: “What is the world without our misery? We’ll never know.” With this perspective in mind and a hint of melody in the finale “Sic Transit Mundus,” Grales offer a two-sided tape through From the Urn Records that is gripping in its onslaught and stirring despite its outward misanthropy. It’s not that they don’t care; it’s that they want you to pick up a molotov cocktail and toss it at your nearest corporate headquarters. Call it relatable.

Grales on Facebook

From the Urn Records on Bandcamp

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Half Gramme of Soma, Slip Through the Cracks

Energetic in its delivery and semi-progressive in its intentions, Half Gramme of Soma‘s second album, Slip Through the Cracks, arrives with the backing of Sound of Liberation Records, the label wing of one of Europe’s lead booking agencies for heavy rock. Not a minor endorsement, but it’s plain to hear in the eight-song/42-minute course the individualism and solidified craft that prompted the pickup: Half Gramme of Soma know what they’re doing, period. Working with producer George Leodis (1000mods, Godsleep, Last Rizla, etc.) in their native Athens, they’ve honed a sound that reaches deeper than the deceptively short runtimes of tracks like “Voyager” and “Sirens” or “Wounds” might lead you to believe, and the blend of patience and intensity on finale-and-longest-song “22:22” (actually 7:36) highlights their potential in both its languid overarching groove and the later guitar solos that cut through it en route to that long fade, without sacrificing the present for the sake of the future. That is, whatever Half Gramme of Soma might do on their third record, Slip Through the Cracks shouldn’t. Even in fest-ready riffers “High Heels” and “Mind Game,” they bleed personality and purpose.

Half Gramme of Soma on Facebook

Sound of Liberation Records store

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Lotus Emperor release their awaited second album, Syneidesis on Nov. 25 through Sound Effect Records. The Athens-based four-piece made their self-titled debut in 2015, and they return now with vast distances measured across 47 minutes of dug in, hypnotic and meditative heavy psychedelia. The bulk of the offering takes place in three extended songs complemented by two shorter stretches that, to scale, could be called interludes, but nonetheless flesh out the atmosphere that is so much a focus throughout the entire proceedings. On the most basic level, it is a marked shift in songcraft from the first LP, which had more songs (14), ran 69 minutes, and touched the 10-minute mark only once.

As to what’s behind that shift, I couldn’t say — hey, a lot of things have changed in the last seven years — but it lends Syneidesis a thematic thread that pushes farther and farther out through its title-track with an epilogue in the three-minute closer “Synteleia” (they translate it as “continuity,” which I like; when I looked it was the somewhat less romantic “the end”; go figure). “Anemos” indeed is windblown throughout its coming together across its early minutes, and Lotus Emperor work with enticing quickness to establish key elements in their patience in how the song unfolds, their use of minimalism in the guitar to make each note seem to count double, their ambience, melody, and ability to fluidly transition into a harder-hitting rhythm as they move through the second minute before solidifying (relatively) at about 3:13 into the total 11:48 around a riff that presents itself like what might happen if Queens of the Stone Age‘s “I Think I Lost My Headache” fell into a black hole.

The groove they lock in at that moment is a telltale galactic rollout that serves as a beginning point for the whole record, opening up to a clear verse delivered by vocalist Konstantina Latzaki over cymbal washes and an eventual resurgence of a slower version of the central nod. By the song’s halfway point, Latzaki, guitarist Stasinos Papastathopoulos, bassist/synthesist Panos Dimopoulos and drummer Nikos Antzoulatos have worked their way into to the march that will define the song, but there’s still more spacing out to do in the back end, with guitar and bass underscoring a section of open, vocal-topped atmospherics that’s duly otherworldly and entrancing. The riff comes back, and Papasthathopoulos‘ guitar seems to rise in the mix to a dominant, triumphalist position.

Since the album was recorded live, between 2020 and 2021 at Room 59 by Haris Pitsinis — who also adds effects to “#59” and “Synteleia,” while drummer Greg from The Last Rizla joins in on the title-track and Nikos Antzoulatos adds backing vocals to “Petra” — it is that much easier to imagine it being relatively close to the stage experience of seeing the band live, and in that context, “Anemos” moving into the more actively riffy “Petra” makes even more sense. The nod of the opener is expanded on and the vocals echo out with held notes for the last lines of measures before dropping to whispers over bass punches just past the midpoint, but it’s a short break and the roll resumes, with synthesizer swirl added as a thanks-for-hanging-out-feeling bonus element. The ending of the song, which begins at about 8:47 into the 13-minutes-flat track, is righteous in its added push, the guitar leading the way through a noisy surge before breaking down to ambience and exploring that quiet space for a while until “#59” takes over with its own eerie psychedelic vibe, horror organ and willfully meandering guitar.

Fair to call it an interlude, but it’s not insubstantial even among the longer pieces surrounding. It serves to guide the listener through the middle of the tracklisting and bridge “Petra” and “Syneidesis” in a way that allows for a breath between them while staying consistent in terms of mood, which is paramount. Dimopoulos‘ bass work early adds progressive flair to “Syneidesis” as that title-track begins to unfurl, and the emergence of the march is gradual but palpable. An atmospheric vocal highlight, with Latzaki moving between croons and whispers in creepy but not necessarily witchy fashion, the platform is ready for the declarations that top the get-loud apex beginning at 7:51, soon enough swallowed by the dual-layered guitar solo.

They’ll recede and build back up before they’re done, and over a swirling riff with just an edge of Mediterranean folk influence, “Syneidesis” ends suddenly and cold in the way of, well, death. Dimopoulos shows some influence from John Carpenter in the synth-led finale, some vague samples and VHS-cinema swirl for the end credits of the long-player, with a sense perhaps of that being an aspect of their sound that will be utilized more in releases to come. That is to say, there’s room for more if they want to go that route over the longer term, but for a band who just took seven years to follow-up their debut — for whatever reason; again, I don’t know the circumstances behind the delay and I’m not about to guess — I’m not remotely comfortable trying to predict where the “next record” might go, whenever it should arrive.

Perhaps, then, the message should be to appreciate what’s happening in the moment. Those who caught onto the first record seven years ago — that’s not me; I suck at life — will no doubt rejoice at the something-of-a-comeback Syneidesis represents, but if they’re new to you as well here, the cohesiveness with which they undertake what’s actually a pretty stark change in approach remains striking. Syneidesis is an album that builds a world and a story of the self in the universe, a cosmic identity forged in a reach of unfathomable scope. Elements of what they do will be familiar, nestled as they are somewhere between psychedelic exploration, space-doom and atmospheric post-heavy, but the affective experience of Lotus Emperor is no less individual than what you bring to hearing it. So probably the thing to do, then, is hear it.

You can get a sample of the title-track in the video below for an edit of the song. I hope you enjoy:

Lotus Emperor, “Syneidesis” official video

Lotus Emperor on Syneidesis:

We open our sails for a second time! With aid from “Anemos” (Wind,) Lotus Emperor’s vessel travels again through the mysteries of life, using our sounds as a medium to carve the “Petra” (Stone) and, through our “#59” wormhole accelerator, shape the new collective “Syneidesis” (Consciousness) in order to get things done from the beginning to the “Synteleia” (The End).

7 years after their self-titled debut, and a minor classic among the international heavy-psych scene, Lotus Emperor are back with “Syneidesis”, their second and debut for Sound Effect Records! Led by Constantina Latzaki’s voice, Lotus Emperor have broaden their horizons, moving on to a mystical journey, an atmospheric mixture of fuzzed-out doom, shoegaze and post-punk, all part of a deeply ritualistic psychedelic concept! On “Syneidesis” Lotus Emperor go cinematic and turn the “difficult” sophomore album to their most compelling work so far.

Released on limited black and neon violet vinyl and CD, on November 25th 2022.

Tracklisting:
1. Anemos (Wind) (11:48)
2. Petra (Stone) (13:00)
3. #59 (4:46)
4. Syneidesis (Consciousness) (14:40)
5. Synteleia (The End) (3:19)

Lotus Emperor:
Vocals: Konstantina Latzaki
Guitar: Stasinos Papastathopoulos
Bass: Panos Dimopoulos
Drums: Nikos Antzoulatos

Lotus Emperor on Instagram

Lotus Emperor on Facebook

Lotus Emperor on Bandcamp

Sound Effect Records on Facebook

Sound Effect Records website

The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.

Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.

Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.

The Obelisk Questionnaire: Dimos Ioannou of Khirki

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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

I am a musician. I play guitar and I sing in a rock ‘n’ roll band called Khirki. We are from Athens, Greece.

I realized early on I have the gift of music and I have devoted my life to honor it.

Listening to Metallica’s “Kill ‘em All” at the age of 13 made me fall in love with the electric guitar, listening to Mastodon’s “Leviathan” taught me the power of the Riff, listening to Jethro Tull’s “Aqualung” showed me the elegance of folk music.

I am also a Ph.D. student in Physics, currently working on my thesis in the field of Nanotechnology.

Describe your first musical memory.

I remember Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” vinyl spinning and my mom explaining the concept to me. It was a thrilling experience that haunted me for the rest of my life. I was 5 years old.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

Every time we play and I see people I’ve never met in my life singing my lyrics, dancing and enjoying themselves because of our music is a special moment I hold dear in my heart.

As a fan my best musical memory would have to be the very first time I listened to Mastodon’s “Crack the Skye”. Instant classic! My jaw dropped, my mind was blown and I was inspired beyond words.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

Standing in front of an audience for the first time at the age of 14, playing my first show and deciding to be myself however awkward or weird I might be. It was totally worth it.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

We chase something almost impossible to catch. The essence! We all have one magic song inside of us and all we play is variations of that one song. The more we dig, the faster we run, the harder we play we come closer and closer. If we are being honest and devoted we might get a true glimpse of it one day.

How do you define success?

To earn a decent living doing what you love without sacrificing yourself.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

Members of my family being really worried or sad.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

I’d like to write a symphony for an orchestra one day. Something like “Tubular Bells” but with lyrics.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

Communication. Art is expressing yourself and being felt rather than understood.

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

I am looking forward to visiting some places of the world like southern Italy, Morocco, Jordan, Scotland and Sweden. I would love to see the Aurora Borealis! I would love to ride a camel through the desert and visit ancient sites to marvel at monuments.

https://www.instagram.com/khirki_official/
https://www.facebook.com/khirkiofficial
https://khirkirocks.bandcamp.com/

Khirki, Κτηνωδία (2021)

Athenian progressive heavy rockers Half Gramme of Soma will release their third album, Slip Through the Cracks, on Sept. 30 through Fuzz Ink Records and SOL Records. The former imprint covers Greece, the latter greater EU (maybe North America? I honestly don’t know.) with distribution through The Orchard, and is a newly incarnated wing of Sound of Liberation, the booking agency responsible for, among others, a slew of festivals that Half Gramme of Soma are about to play while they tour with Naxatras to support this upcoming release.

That’s Up in Smoke, Keep it Low and the SOL-friendly Desertfest Belgium in Antwerp, and those probably won’t be the last at which the band features. Their video streaming below for “Muck & Cheese” represents them well with a mind toward groove and rhythmic intricacy. It’s a little more of a rager than psychedelic, but I’m not going to argue with it either way, especially not having heard the rest of Slip Through the Cracks yet. I hope it doesn’t.

From the PR wire:

Sound Of Liberation Launches SOL Records: Athens Rock Act HALF GRAMME OF SOMA To Release Brand New Album On September 30th!

On Tour With NAXATRAS This October!

Sound Of Liberation – the renowned, international live and booking institution for all that is heavy in the realms of stoner and heavy rock, psychedelic, doom and sludge metal, hosts of events such as Desertfest, Keep It Low, Up In Smoke and many more acclaimed festivals of the heavy music underground – has launched its own record label! Distributed by The Orchard, September 30, 2022 will see SOL Records proudly present their first record release, the new album by Athens-based rock act HALF GRAMME OF SOMA!

Formed in early 2011, HALF GRAMME OF SOMA unleashes an enthralling blend of heavy rock and a wide range of eclectic influences. 90’s-fueled, orgasmically monolithic and with a deep psychedelic soul, the band’s sound is groovy and trippy at the same time, based solely on successful teamwork rather than meaningless individual show-offs.

With their self-titled debut album in 2013, the Greek five-piece took the rock community by storm: In 2014, the band released their much acclaimed Marche au Noir EP, followed by extensive touring schedules and shows with bands such as Monster Magnet, Elder, Stoned Jesus, 1000mods, Mars Red Sky and many more. Groove Is Black, HALF GRAMME OF SOMA’s sophomore album, was released in 2017.

Just recently, the band has shared a first song taken of their upcoming, third studio album, Slip Through The Cracks, which will see the light of day on September 30, 2022 via SOL Records (PRE-ORDER HERE!). Their new album raises the bar even more, with memorable riffs, genuine heaviness, an increased use of 90’s influences, powerful driven vocals and a tight rhythm section that never ceases to impress with its precision and effectiveness. HALF GRAMME OF SOMA are once again not aiming for commercial success or innovations, but they revolutionize the modern approach to classic ingredients, creating an addictive yet effortless magma of straightforward heavy rock music and unpretentious punkery!

In support of their upcoming record release, the band will hit the road with NAXATRAS in October; make sure to catch this killer tour package of up-and-coming Greek rock gods live at the listed dates below! HALF GRAMME OF SOMA’s new video for first single and album opening track, “Muck & Cheese”, is streaming here.

HALF GRAMME OF SOMA & NAXATRAS LIVE:
02.10.2022 (CH) Pratteln / Up in Smoke
03.10.2022 (ITA) Bologna / Freak Out Club
04.10.2022 (AT) Innsbruck / PMK
05.10.2022 (AT) Salzburg / Rockhouse
06.10.2022 (DE) Passau / Zauberberg
07.10.2022 (DE) München / Keep It Low
08.10.2022 (CZ) Prague / Rock Café
10.10.2022 (PL) Warsaw / Hydrozagadka
11.10.2022 (DE) Berlin / Zukunft am Ostkreuz
12.10.2022 (DE) Wiesbaden / Schlachthof
14.10.2022 (DE) Oldenburg / Cadillac
15.10.2022 (BE) Antwerp / Desertfest
16.10.2022 (NL) Utrecht / DB´s

Slip Through The Cracks Album – Tracklist:
01. Muck & Cheese
02. Voyager
03. Magnetar
04. High Heels
05. Mind Game
06. Sirens
07. Wounds
08. 22:22

www.facebook.com/hgosband
www.instagram.com/half_gramme_of_soma
https://halfgrammeofsoma.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/fuzzinkrecords/
https://www.instagram.com/fuzzinkrecords/
https://fuzzinkrecords.bandcamp.com/

http://www.sol-records.com
https://www.facebook.com/Soundofliberation/
https://www.instagram.com/soundofliberation/
https://www.soundofliberation.com/

Half Gramme of Soma, “Muck & Cheese” official video

The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.

Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.

Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.

The Obelisk Questionnaire: Vagg Oikonomou of Honeybadger

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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

Channeling my inner fears, feelings, and energy into music through the communication with three other people, combining their ideas and forming them into something special (I hope so).

As for how I came to do it, well I had to find a way to stop banging tables, my feet, other’s feet, and everything that had a drum sound in my ears, just to stay concentrated…

Describe your first musical memory.

I remember my mother arguing with my older brother about the cover of Iron Maiden’s “Live after Death”, that she didn’t want that monster in our house. That’s when I thought I must listen to this music. I did some favors to my brother and voila, my first Cassette and Walkman, and a blown mind!

Describe your best musical memory to date.

I remember hours and hours recording vinyl to cassettes, then blasting my Walkman up to 11 so the music would bleed through the old headset (the one with the metal thing and the spongy speakers), just to impress the girls… Metallica wasn’t a good choice then, but Offspring did the work.

I really miss this process of listening to music, to listen to the whole album with no distractions, as a part of a “Litany”.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

When my father had a heart attack. The image of a powerful figure collapsed.

Then he told me the story of how he ended up in hospital: He felt chest pain, took the car, drove to the hospital, and with a cigarette in his mouth, said to the guy at the gate: “I’m having a heart attack, let me in.”

That’s when I believed that he is just NUTS!

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

Simplicity, I guess. Can I answer again in 30 years?

How do you define success?

Success is when your music has an impact on another person. If it creates a memory, a crack in his timeline and gets entombed in their heart, their soul.

Oh, and sold-out shows, definitely!

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

That’s a difficult question for me, because as a person I always try to extract the positive essence of an experience. Seeing something bad makes me appreciate something else.

Every experience is a “train station,” I guess. In some you stay longer than another.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

A stand-up show.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

Thanks for this question, it really had me digging.

The personal function of art is vague and that is what makes it so interesting. Everyone experiences art differently. The artist speaks a language, and the “receiver” understands something completely different, maybe the same or something in between. Is that bad? I guess not, because it all comes down to the subject’s perception. No one can control the use of an artistic piece.

Lyrics and poetry in general, are a great example. And classical music. I remember my first music teacher had us listen to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”, close our eyes, and write down what pictures the music produced. Everyone had a different experience!

By the way, if a kid paints the sky purple is it wrong? Is it Art? (Maybe it is young “Prince”)

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

Elden Ring 2.

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Honeybadger, Pleasure Delayer (2020)

The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.

Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.

Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.

The Obelisk Questionnaire: Greg ‘Maddog’ Konstantaras of Seer of the Void

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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

Generally, in music you can define everything, but in our case things are pretty simple and they are characterized by an also simple procedure: we love jamming as a heavy doom trio; we just grab a beer and we play. Everything is about straightforward, honest, heavy, and ominous riffs.

Sometimes we like it slow sometimes like it fast.

Nevertheless, it’s always an honest manifestation of our own worlds.

Describe your first musical memory.

Listening to Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun” on a mix-tape in the early ’90s — that my parents actually had labeled as “Slow Rock”.

This song was blowing my mind at this time! As a child, I couldn’t understand the meaning but the energy of the melody is living inside my head until now.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

On a more personal level – as band: the timing of our “birth” was very unfortunate due to the pandemic. Nonetheless, recently we played a live show, after 2 years, for our debut album “Revenant”. The audience included very close friends and quite a few fans in our hometown (Athens, Greece). The atmosphere was incredible and despite the COVID-19 aftermath; everything almost felt like before. We were all there – enjoying the music.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

None of the members of the band is narrow – minded. We are always open to discussion and new ideas.

Thus, each and every time we join a discussion we are open to any exchange of views. However, and possibly on more personal level, we evaluate current facts and personal beliefs every day. I am not sure if the question alludes to a more ethical or political level; but the only thing that I can say for sure is that from thorough assessment comes improvement and development.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

First and foremost; there is no parthenogenesis in music.

Nevertheless, someone could say that “artistic progression” lead to general improvement.

It can also lead to further artistic voyages – and possibly to further musical soundscapes.

How do you define success?

Success for me is to make your own music; and people embrace it with their own unique way.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

Is that a trick question? Haha! I could say many things.

I could say that I wish I hadn’t seen the tragedy of this world and the irony of this life; but the hard truth is that we actually HAVE to witness it and fight for “better things to see”.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

A time-traveling machine would be great – I guess.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

To connect and interact with the audience. To inspire. And to make other feel each and every piece of art with their own intensity.

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

Summer – for sure! I am not sure if mean “summer” literally or in a more poetic / redeeming way though.

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Seer of the Void, Revenant (2020)

The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.

Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.

Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.

The Obelisk Questionnaire: Diamond Pr of The Same River

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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

All of us, have a different perspective on what we call journey of life. I define everything I do as a need filtered through the idealistic obsessions that feed my soul. There’s a chain of events
from the day we were born until our last breath, that keep pushing our personal ascendance and that’s what I call instinct.

Describe your first musical memory.

I was around 5 years old when my dad gave me a mixtape and I remember the first song I felt in love with. The second song of this tape, Stranglers- Nice ‘n’ Sleazy.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

Back in 2005 when I saw the original Black Sabbath lineup live.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

The day I saw my grandpa at the hospital, I realise that nobody’s a god and one day will all face the consequences of time.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

The gift of artistic expression, is undoubtedly a way for our soul to speak in ways that otherwise couldn’t. The reaction and resonation of this procedure leads, at least for me, to be a better man.

How do you define success?

Success is believing to yourself and chasing your dreams until your last breath.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

I have seen Belgrade after the war and the image with the starving children can’t leave my head.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

I would like to write a book. A novel actually.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

Commitment is the most important factor. Without it you have no chance of creating something that vibrates even to yourself.

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

My little daughter to start talking and call me dad.

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The Same River, Weight of the World (2022)

Last day. Maybe I’m supposed to have some grand reflection as we hit 100 of 100 records for the Quarterly Review, but I’ll spare you. I’ve put a few records from the bunch on year-end lists, enjoyed a lot of music, wondered why a few people got in touch with me in the first place, and generally plotzed through to the best of my ability. Thanks as always to The Patient Mrs., through whom all things are possible, for facilitation.

And thank you for reading. I hope you’ve managed to find something killer in all this, but if not, there’s still today to go, so you’ve got time.

Next QR is probably early October, and you know what? I’ve already got records lined up for it. How insane is that?

Quarterly Review #91-100:

Jo Quail, The Cartographer

To list the personnel involved in Jo Quail‘s Roadburn-commissioned five-movement work The Cartographer would consume the rest of this review, so I won’t, but the London electric cellist is at the center of an orchestral experiment the stated purpose of which is to find the place where classical and heavy musics meet. Percussion thuds, there’s piano and electric violin and a whole bunch of trombones, and whatever that is making the depth-charge thud underneath “Movement 2,” some voices and narration at the start by Alice Krige, who once played the Borg Queen among many other roles. Though Quail composed The Cartographer for Roadburn — originally in 2020 — the recording isn’t captured on that stage, but is a studio LP, which lets each headphone-worthy nuance and tiny flash of this or that shine through. So is it heavy? Not really in any traditional sense, but of course that’s the point. Is SunnO))) heavy? Sure. It’s less about conforming to given notions of genre characteristics than bringing new ideas to them and saying this-can-be-that in the way that innovative art does, but heavy? Why the hell not? Think of it as mind-expansion, only classy.

Jo Quail on Facebook

By Norse Music website

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Experiencia Tibetana, Vol. II

An aptly named second full-length from Buenos Aires trio Experiencia Tibetana greatly solidifies the band’s approach, which of course itself is utterly fluid. Having brought in Gaston Saccoia on drums, vocals and other percussion alongside guitarist/vocalist Walter Fernandez and bassist Leandro Moreno Vila since their recorded-in-2014-released-in-2020 debut, Vol. I (review here), the band take the methodology of meditative exploration from that album and pare it down to four wholly expansive processions, resonant in their patience and earthy psychedelic ritualizing. Each side of the 48-minute LP is comprised of a shorter track and a longer, and they’re arranged for maximum immersion as one climbs a presumably Tibetan mountain, going up and coming back down with the longest material in the middle, the 16-minute pair “Ciudad de latahes” and “(Desde el) Limbo” running in hypnotic succession with minimalism, noise wash, chanting, percussive cacophony, dead space, bass fuzz, spoken word and nearly anything else they want at their disposal. With “El delito espiritual I” (8:18) and the maybe-eBow(?) ghost howls of “El delito espiritual II” (7:19) on either side, Vol. II charts a way forward for the trio as they move into unknown aural reaches.

Experiencia Tibetana on Facebook

Experiencia Tibetana on Bandcamp

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People of the Black Circle, People of the Black Circle

Not quite like anything else, Athenian conjurors People of the Black Circle plunge deep into horror/fantasy atmospheres, referencing H.P. Lovecraft and Robert Howard within the five tracks of their nonetheless concise 34-minute/five-track self-titled debut. Weighted in tone and mood, almost garage-doom in its production, the synth-backing of “Cimmeria” unfolds after the outward crunch of leadoff “Alchemy of Sorrow” — like Euro doom dramaturge transposed onto a bed of ’80s synths with Om-style bass — and from centerpiece “The Ghoul and the Seraph (Ghoul’s Song II)” through the bookending choral figures and either sampled or synthesized horns over the resolute chug of “Nyarlathotep” and more straight-ahead slow-motion push of closer “Ghosts in Agartha,” which swirls out a highlight solo after a wailing verse lets go and seems to drift away after its payoff for the album as an entirety. While in concept, People of the Black Circle‘s aesthetic isn’t necessarily anything new, there’s no denying the boundaries of dungeon synth and horror/garage doom are being transcended here, and that mixture feels like it’s being given a fresh perspective in these songs, even if the thematic is familiar. A mix of new and old, then? Maybe, but the new wins out decisively. In the parlance of our times, “following.”

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Red Truth Productions on Bandcamp

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Black Capricorn, Cult of Blood

It always seems to be a full moon when Black Capricorn are playing, regardless of actual cloud cover or phase. The Sardinian trio of guitarist/vocalist Fabrizio Monni (also production; also in Ascia), bassist Virginia Pras and drummer Rachela Piras offer an awaited follow-up to their 2019 Solstice EP (discussed here). Though it’s their fifth full-length overall, it’s the second with this lineup of the band (first through Majestic Mountain), and it comes packed with references like the doomly “Worshipping the Bizarre Reverend” and “Snake of the Wizard” as distorted, cultish and willfully strange vibes persist across its 44-minute span. Doom. Even the out-there centerpiece kinda-interlude “Godsnake Djamballah” and the feedback-laced lurch-march of the nine-minute “Witch of Endor” have a cauldron-psych vibe coinciding with the largely riff-driven material, though, and it’s the differences between the songs that ultimately bring them together, closer “Uddadhaddar” going full-on ritualist with percussion and drone and chanting vocals as if to underscore the point. It’s been five years since they released Omega (review here), their most recent LP, and Cult of Blood wholly justifies the wait.

Black Capricorn on Facebook

Majestic Mountain Records store

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SABOTØR, Skyggekæmper

The Danish title Skyggekæmper translates to English as “shadow fighter,” and if punk-informed heavy rocking Aarhus three-piece SABOTØR mean it in a political context, then fair enough. I speak no Danish, but their past work and titles here like “2040-Planen” — seemingly a reference to Denmark’s clean energy initiative — the stomping, funky “Ro På, Danmark!” (‘calm down, Denmark’) and even the suitably over-the-top “King Diamond” seem to have speaking about Danishness (Danedom?) as an active element. Speaking of “active,” the energy throughout the nine-song/49-minute span of the record is palpable, and while they’re thoroughly in the post-Truckfighters fuzz rock dominion tonally, the slowdowns of “Edderkoppemor” and the closing title-track hit the brakes at least here and there in their longer runtimes and expand on the thrust of the earlier “Oprør!” and “Arbejde Gør Fri,” the start-stop riffing of which seems as much call to dance as a call to action — though, again, I say that as someone without any actual idea if it’s the latter — making the entire listening experience richer on the whole while remaining accessible despite linguistic or any other barriers to entry that might be perceived. To put it another way, you don’t have to be up on current issues facing Denmark to enjoy the songs, and if they make you want to be afterward, so much the better.

SABOTØR on Facebook

SABOTØR on Bandcamp

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The Buzzards of Fuzz, The Buzzards of Fuzz

Vocalist/rhythm guitarist Van Bassman, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Benjamin J. Davidow and bassist/backing vocalist/percussionist Charles Wiles are The Buzzards of Fuzz. I’m not sure who that leaves as drummer on the Atlanta outfit’s self-titled Sept. 2021 debut LP — could be producer/engineer Kristofer Sampson, Paul Stephens and/or Nick Ogawa, who are all credited with “additional instrumentation” — and it could be nobody if they’re programmed, but one way or the other, The Buzzards of Fuzz sure sound like a complete band, from the trippin’-on-QOTSA vibe of “Tarantulove” and “Desert Drivin’ (No Radio)” (though actually it’s Kyuss alluded to in the lyrics of the latter) to the more languid psych pastoralia of “All in Your Head” and the spacious two minutes of “Burned My Tongue on the Sun,” the purposeful-feeling twist into Nirvana of “Mostly Harmless” and the nod to prior single “Lonely in Space” that is finale “Lonely in Space (Slight Return).” Sleek grooves, tight, hooky songwriting and at times a languid spirit that comes through no matter how fast they’re playing give The Buzzards of Fuzz, the album, a consistent mood across the 11 songs and 32 minutes that allows the delivery to play that much more of a role in making short pieces feel expansive.

The Buzzards of Fuzz on Facebook

The Buzzards of Fuzz on Bandcamp

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Temple of Void, Summoning the Slayer

Crawl into Temple of Void‘s deathly depths and you may find yourself duly consumed. Their style is less outright doom than it used to be, but the Detroit extremist five-piece nonetheless temper their bludgeoning with a resilient amount of groove, and even at their fastest in songs like “Hex, Curse & Conjuration” and some of the more plundering moments in “A Sequence of Rot” just prior, the weight behind their aural violence remains a major factor. The keys in “Deathtouch,” which follows down-you-go opener “Behind the Eye” and leads into “Engulfed” branches out the band’s sound with keyboards (or guitar-as-keyboards, anyway) and a wider breadth of atmosphere than they’ve enjoyed previously — “Engulfed” seems to touch on Type O Negative-style tonality as it chugs into its midsection — and the concluding “Dissolution” introduces a quieter, entirely-clean approach for just under three key-string-laced minutes that Temple of Void have legitimately never shown before. Seems doubtful they’ll take that as far as Opeth in putting out Damnation — though that’s just crazy enough to work — but it shows that as Temple of Void move toward the 10-year mark, their progression has not abated whatsoever. And they still kill, so no worries there.

Temple of Void on Facebook

Relapse Records website

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Anomalos Kosmos, Mornin Loopaz

Psych jazz, instrumental save for some found voice samples which, if you were listening on headphones out in the wild, say, might have you wondering if you’re missing the announcement for your train at the station. Based in Thessaloniki, Greece, Anomalos Kosmos brim with experimentalist urgency on the half-hour of Mornin Loopaz, the seven tracks of which are titled playing off the days of the week — “Meinday,” “Chooseday,” “Whensday,” etc. — but which embark each on their own explorations of the outer reaches of far out. The longest of the bunch is “Thirstday” at just over five minutes, and at 30 minutes one could hardly accuse them of overstaying their welcome. Instead, the shimmering tone, fluid tempos and unpredictable nature of their style make for a thrilling listen, “Thirstday” remaining vital even as it spaces out and “Friedday” picking up directly from there with a ready sense of relief. They spend the weekend krautrocking in “Shatterday” and managing to squeeze a drum solo in before the rushing Mediterranean-proggy end of “Sinday,” the crowd noise that follows leaving one wondering if there aren’t more subversive messages being delivered beneath the heady exterior. In any case, this is a band from a place where the sun shines brightly, and the music stands as proof. Get weird and enjoy.

Anomalos Kosmos on Facebook

Anomalos Kosmos on Bandcamp

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Cauchemar, Rosa Mystica

This third full-length from Quebec-based doom outfit Cauchemar brings the band past their 15th anniversary and makes a bed for itself in traditionalist metallurgy, running currents of NWOBHM running through opener “Jour de colère” and “Rouge sang” while “Danger de nuit” takes a more hard rock approach and the penultimate roller “Volcan” feels more thoroughly Sabbathian. With eight songs presumably arranged four per vinyl side, there’s a feeling of symmetry as “Le tombeau de l’aube” tempts Motörhead demons and answers back with wilful contradiction the late-’70s/early-’80s groove that comes late in “Notre-Dame-sous-Terre.” Closer “La sorcière” tolls its bells presumably for thee as the lead guitar looks toward Pentagram and vocalist Annick Giroux smoothly layers in harmony lines before the church organ carries the way out. Classic in its overarching intentions, the songs nonetheless belong to Cauchemar exclusively, and speak to the dead with a vibrancy that avoids the trappings of cultism while working to some of its strengths in atmosphere, sounding oldschool without being tired, retro or any more derivative than it wants to be. No argument here, it’s metal for rockers, doom for doomers, riffs for the converted or those willing to be. I haven’t looked to see if they have patches yet, but I’d buy one if they do.

Cauchemar on Facebook

Temple of Mystery Records website

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Seum, Blueberry Cash

If you ever wanted to hear Weedeater or Dopethrone hand you your ass with Sons of Otis-worthy tones, Seum‘s Blueberry Cash has your back. The no-guitar-all-bass-and-drums-and-screams Montreal three-piece are just as crusty and weedian as you like, and in “Blueberry Cash,” “John Flag” and the seven-minute “Hairy Muff,” they reinforce sludge extremity with all that extra low end as if to remind the universe where the idea of music being heavy in the first place comes from. Grooves are vital and deathly, produced with just enough clarity to come through laced with what feels like extra nastiness, and “John Flag”‘s blues verse opens into a chasm of a chorus, waiting with sharpened teeth. Rounding out, “Hairy Muff” is a take on a song by vocalist Gaspar‘s prior band, Lord Humungus, and it’s drawn out into a plodding homage to liberation, pubes and the ability of sludge to feel like it’s got its hands on either side of your face and is pressing them together as hard as it can. These guys are a treasure, I mean that, and I don’t care what genre you want to tag it as being or how brutal and skinpeeling they want to make it, something with this much fuckall will always be punk rock in my mind.

Seum on Facebook

Seum on Bandcamp

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