Just before setting up to write this post, I locked in a fair amount of coverage for the forthcoming LP, Atlas, by Swedish atmospheric heavy rock five-piece Besvärjelsen. I did this, simply, because the band rules. I haven’t heard Atlas yet — it’ll be out May 27 through Magnetic Eye, so I guess I have some time there — but the band will run a series of behind the scenes clips beforehand. In addition to teaching people how to say their name —  my money is on “bezz-VER-yell-sun,” but I don’t actually have any money — the three videos spaced out between next week or the week after and early May will I assume feature footage of the studio and new music snippets and all that kind of thing. I’m hoping as well we get a look at some of Dalarna, from whence the band hail. In talking to the band for their PostWax release, both guitarist Andreas Baier and vocalist Lea Amling Alazam mentioned the affect of their surroundings on the music. I’d be interested to see such a place, and maybe we all will.

Preorders for the album are up, and that’s wonderful, but even better is the new video for first single “Digerliden,” which you can see at the bottom of this post.

As per the PR wire:

BESVÄRJELSEN: new album details + first video released!

Swedish heavy rockers BESVÄRJELSEN share their new video “Digerliden” as the first single taken from their new album ‘Atlas’, to be released on May 27, 2022 through Magnetic Eye Records.

Guitarist and vocalist Andreas Baier explains the song title: “The title ‘Digerliden’ takes its name from a place in Sweden’s Dalecarlian Finnmark which roughly translates as ‘the dire suffering’, which relates to the hardship that its ancestral people endured while trying to survive and grow crops in its vast forests and mountains. It is a magical and mysterious please, and its native folk music was a well of inspiration for this song.” Singer Lea Amling Alazam adds: “The lyrics deal with people in love who hate themselves. After watching Alice in Chains’ MTV Unplugged, I was very inspired by the way their harmonies work and the kind of numb yet powerful melodies. I also felt a bit of a need for an Arabic harmony, so I wanted to find a way to combine grunge and Middle Eastern influences.”

On their sophomore full-length “Atlas”, aptly named after the mythical Greek titan who literally carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, BESVÄRJELSEN take a huge step toward the perfect wedding of melodic doom with subtle touches of prog as well as punk, folk, and classic rock. The distinctly urban component in the sound of these rockers is very much amplified by the outstanding vocals of Lea Amling Alazam. The charismatic singer took a fresh approach by embracing melodies and phrases of the grunge and emo sounds that defined her youth as well as African and Middle Eastern music – while keeping her characteristic bluesy undertones.

With its wistful melodies and towering riff-power, “Atlas” represents a logical progression along the course that BESVÄRJELSEN charted from the start. The band was co-founded by guitarists and vocalists Andreas Baier and Staffan Stensland Vinrot in 2014 with a clear vision to channel the spirit and traditions of the vast Dalarna forests, a region otherwise famous for its painted wooden horses, into contemporary heavy music. Andreas, coming from a background in punk and hardcore, had realized that by slowing things down, their music would gain in-depth while allowing haunting melodies to exist alongside a cathartic heaviness.

‘Atlas’ was recorded at Studio Gröndal and Studio Glashuset, mixed and mastered by Karl Daniel Lidén in Sweden. The artwork was created by Besvärjelsen and Łukasz Jaszak. The album will be available as blue and curacao marble vinyl LP, digisleeve CD and digital on May 27th, 2022 with preorder available now via Magnetic Eye Records: http://lnk.spkr.media/besvarjelsen-atlas

BESVÄRJELSEN New album “Atlas”
Out May 27th on Magnetic Eye Records – Preorder: http://lnk.spkr.media/besvarjelsen-atlas

TRACKLIST:
1. The Cardinal Ride
2. Acheron
3. Clouds
4. House of the Burning Light
5. Paradise
6. Digerliden
7. Descent
8. Celestial
9. Obscured by Darkness
10. Divided Ends

Line-up
Lea Amling Alazam- vocals
Staffan Stensland Vinrot – guitars, vocals
Andreas Baier – guitars, vocals
Erik Bäckwall – drums
Johan Rockner – bass

https://www.facebook.com/besvarjelsen
https://www.instagram.com/besvarjelsen
https://besvarjelsen.bandcamp.com/
http://store.merhq.com
http://magneticeyerecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MagneticEyeRecords

Besvärjelsen, “Digerliden” official video

Besvärjelsen, Frost (2019)

Do you want to dream with me for a while, or will it be too much of a downer? It’s okay. This one hits particularly bittersweet for me. I haven’t been to every Høstsabbat, but I’ve been to enough to see how the Oslo-based festival has grown and is growing, and the thought of not being there in a few weeks for this one is that much harder to take as the lineup is revealed today. Imagine the existential payoff of being engulfed in Mars Red Sky‘s melodic wash on the first night and obliterated by Conan the second, or seeing Greenleaf bring the blues of their latest album to life.

I’ve never seen Causa Sui. I’ve never seen Øresund Space Collective. These are bands I think and write about all the time. And newcomers like Slomosa, Jointhugger, Superlynx, Saint Karloff and Kryptograf, Hymn and Kite and Suncraft — these are some of the best up and coming acts the Norwegian heavy underground has to offer. Imagine being able to say you’ve seen Besvärjelsen. The thought of this happening and my not being there makes me genuinely sad.

It’s just a Fredag and a Lørdag, right? I could go! It could happen. It’s not a huge festival. I’ll mask up, of course… After a year and a half of so much bullshit, fear, sadness, ongoing, don’t I have to eventually just accept that this is what life is now and some things are worth the risk? That this is something I need to be the person I am? Who am I without live music?

And there you go. Bitter because I’m forced to reconcile myself to not seeing it. Sweet because I know in my heart these are good, passionate people who make this happen and because I believe in what they do, and even if I can’t/won’t be there to see it, it’s happening. I’m sorry to make this one about me. Really it’s about awesome bands and a righteous bill. If you’re going, enjoy. Live.

Full Høstsabbat 2021 lineup — though I’m hearing rumors about a Torsdag to-do as well — follows here:

HØSTSABBAT 2021 FULL LINE-UP ANNOUNCEMENT

In the spirit of optimistic caution and with safety precautions at the forefront of our minds, we step forward in preparation for our stages to resonate with the heavy once again! The riffs will rise from our home at Kulturkirken Jakob and our Norwegian stage at Verkstedet on Friday the 8th and Saturday the 9th of October.

Today we proudly release the full lineup and hope you are as excited as we are to come together again in celebration of the riff and all things heavy.

Daypasses and program will be out on Friday. Until then, get your festival ticket asap!

TICKETS: https://bit.ly/hostsabbat2021

Lineup HØSTSABBAT 2021 – October 8th-9th

– Mars Red Sky (fr)
– Øresund Space Collective (dk)
– Slomosa (no)
– Hymn (no)
– Conan (uk)
– Causa Sui (dk)
– Gøsta Berlings Saga (se)
– Greenleaf (se)
– Saint Karloff (no)
– Besværjelsen (se)
– Kryptograf (no)
– Kite (no)
– Sibiir (no)
– Orkan (se)
– Warp Riders (no)
– Jointhugger (no)
– Draken
– Gunerius & Verdensveven
– Superlynx
– U-Foes
– Shaving the Werewolf
– Suncraft

https://www.facebook.com/hostsabbat/
https://www.instagram.com/hostsabbat/
http://hostsabbat.no/

Høstsabbat 2019 official aftermovie

You won’t find me pretending to know what the pandemic situation in Stockholm will be come this November. I barely know what the situation is in Morris County, New Jersey (where I live), today. Frankly, the more I find out, the more exhausted I get, so you’ll pardon me if maybe I skip the number-hounding for an afternoon and bask in the notion of a festival happening in Sweden with people, bands, loud music, good times, old friends, new friends coming together amid not panic or fear of the unknown, but the comforting sounds of warm fuzz delivered at earsplitting volumes from two stages for two days. Two days doesn’t seem like too much to ask, does it? Just two?

Of course, festivals are happening now. Right now. Today, probably, somewhere. Psycho Las Vegas happened. Ripplefest Texas happened. Maryland Doom Fest looks like it’s happening. I know none of those are in Sweden, but I’m going with what I know. And I know I won’t get to this one, but I’m glad it exists. So there you go. Two days. If you’re gonna be there, enjoy them.

The following came down the PR wire in Truckfighters‘ newsletter:

New bands confirmed for Truckfighters FUZZ FESTIVAL 2021!

We are proud and happy to announce:

*SKRAECKOEDLAN (Swe) – They played our first edition two years ago and since they are so good it was time to bring em back again!

*ENIGMA EXPERIENCE (Swe/No) – Mr Dango from Truckfighters’ new project in their first ever live appearance!

*BESVÄRJELSEN (Swe) – Up and coming great Swedish act with female vocals. Part of the band are or were members of Dozer and Greenleaf.

*THE DUNES (UK) – The Dunes takes their musical influences and cues from the likes of Torche Clutch Red Fang and Queens Of The Stone Age and will not disappoint anyone!

Confirmed acts so far are
TRUCKFIGHTERS (the fuzz planet)
LOWRIDER (swe)
ASTEROID (swe)
FIRESTONE (swe)
STEAK (UK)
KINGS DESTROY (USA)
SWAN VALLEY HEIGHTS (Ger)
ELDEN (swe)

*Live music from ca 6pm til midnight.
*Afterparty at Bar Brooklyn until 3am.

The Venue is located on the island of Södermalm, in Stockholm. This is a very nice area in the central parts of town.

Get there with subway or bus to ‘Hornstull’ station.

The festival has two stages, one big and one smaller. The smallest stage (Bar Brooklyn) has a limited space and can take up to 250 people standing. If you want to see a band in our smallest stage, come early! First come first served!

https://www.facebook.com/events/606699896853794/
http://www.truckfighters.com/festival/

Skraeckoedlan, “Universum” official video

I’ll readily admit I’m not the biggest AC/DC fan in the world, but with an initial Kickstarter goal of four thousand dollars that, as of this post, is currently at well over four times that amount, why would Magnetic Eye Records ever stop putting out ‘Redux’ records? Clearly they’ve found a thing that works, lets them pull in an array of killer artists from around the world, and is only well supported by the fanbase. Shit, they got Udo Dirkschneider to be on a track with Howling Giant. That’s awesome. You just have to throw up your hands at the inevitable, I guess. ‘Redux’ forever.

Note Heavy Temple here, as well as Kryptograf, Solace and Earthride — any new recording from either of them is welcome — and Besvärjelsen too. Some from the Magnetic Eye roster, some Blues Funeral, some beyond. And Red Fang leading off with “Hells Bells.” Can you already hear that in your head? Of course you can.

The PR wire has the full lineup and more:

Magnetic Eye Records announce the complete track list of latest Redux Series installments “Back in Black [Redux]” and companion volume “Best of AC/DC”

Magnetic Eye Records have shattered their Kickstarter goal on their latest [Redux] series project dedicated to the AC/DC mega-classic “Back in Black” and its companion volume under the title “Best of AC/DC”. The target of 4,000 USD has been pledged more than four times over, and the campaign continues until July 25 at the following link:

www.kickstarter.com/projects/magneticeye/back-in-black-redux-best-of-ac-dc

The complete track listingss for both releases paying impassioned homage to AC/DC have also been revealed and feature exciting contributions from, among many others, RED FANG, SUPERSUCKERS, WHORES featuring MASTODON’s BILL KELLIHER, BOB BALCH (FU MANCHU) & TONY REED (MOS GENERATOR), and HOWLING GIANT collaborating with legendary former ACCEPT shouter UDO DIRKSCHNEIDER. Please see below for full details.

Jadd Shickler comments: “Our Redux releases have always been and will always be works of pure love and respect for truly amazing bands and albums, our way of celebrating classics and paying proper homage to the artists who’ve made some of the most meaningful music of our lives”, states the Magnetic Eye Records label director. “We take the overwhelming response as a sign of trust and support for the dedication that goes into the Redux series, and we’re thankful for the amazing response! Even with the industry-wide delays on vinyl production, we’ll be making our strongest efforts to deliver these albums into everyone’s hands before the end of 2021.”

Tracklist “Back in Black [Redux]
1. Hells Bells- Red Fang
2. Shoot to Thrill – Howling Giant feat. Udo Dirkschneider
3. What Do You Do for Money Honey – Supersuckers
4. Givin the Dog a Bone – Smoking Lightning
5. Let Me Put My Love into You – Heavy Temple feat. Valient Himself
6. Back in Black – Besvärjelsen
7. You Shook Me All Night Long – Jakethehawk feat. Patrick Waters
8. Have a Drink on Me – Whores feat. Bill Kelliher
9. Shake a Leg – Early Man
10. Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution – Earthride

Tracklist “Best of AC/DC”
1. Sin City – Witchskull
2. It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N Roll) – Kal-El
3. What’s Next to the Moon – Bob Balch & Tony Reed
4. Bad Boy Boogie – Kryptograf
5. Walk All Over You – Blue Heron
6. Overdose – Supersuckers
7. For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) – Riff Lord
8. Whole Lotta Rosie – Solace
9. If You Want Blood – Red Mesa
10. The Razors Edge – Ghost Ship Ritual
11. Dog Eat Dog – Caustic Casanova
12. High Voltage – Electric Frankenstein
13. Night Prowler – Domkraft

“Back in Black [Redux]” presents new takes on all ten cuts from AC/DC’s seminal seventh album. This was the first record to feature “new” singer Brian Johnson following the death of original larger-than-life frontman Bon Scott, and music historians agree that there was massive pressure on both the new singer and the band to deliver. Even so, nobody could have anticipated that they’d create one of the most important rock albums ever, and Magnetic Eye cannot wait for you to hear what many of your favorite bands from the stoner, doom, and riff-rock scene have done with some of the most iconic rock songs of all time.

Along with “Back in Black [Redux]”, we also present our “Best of AC/DC” companion album, a 2-LP extravaganza featuring 13 bands offering their renditions of all-time classics and deep cuts from across the AC/DC catalog. Featuring an array of absolute heavyweights and hungry up-and-comers from the heavy rock underground, we’ve got no doubt that fans of the riff-heavy will be stoked to experience these massive AC/DC interpretations unlike any they’ve heard before.

The Magnetic Eye [Redux] Series features hand-picked classic albums from across the history of rock and metal, re-imagined in their entirety from start to finish by bands we love. Hand-picked artists from throughout the rock and metal world each pick a track to make their own, bringing these milestone records into the new millennium with crushing heaviness and searing energy. To date, we’ve produced [Redux] versions of PINK FLYOD’s “The Wall”, HELMET’s “Meantime”, BLACK SABBATH’s “Vol. 4”, HENDRIX’s “Electric Ladyland”, and ALICE IN CHAINS’ “Dirt”, which have included artists like MATT PIKE, PALLBEARER, THE MELVINS, ALL THEM WITCHES, KHEMMIS, ASG, ZAKK WYLDE, MARK LANEGAN, SCOTT REEDER, and many more amazing artists.

Join us for our sixth foray into Redux territory as we pay proper respect to the Australian legends!

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http://magneticeyerecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MagneticEyeRecords

Solace, “Whole Lotta Rosie”

I’m not saying it can’t happen or that I wouldn’t be stoked if it did, but unless they’re hitting the studio, like, next week, a 2021 timeline for Besvärjelsen‘s second album seems ambitious, especially if they’re also taking part in Magnetic Eye Records‘ upcoming AC/DC tribute (man, they just keep pumping out those reduxes). The PostWax veterans released their Frost EP (discussed here) in 2019 as a follow-up to 2018’s Vallmo (review here), and for sure the wintry aspects of their sound would be highlighted by a release in, say, November, but even if their songs are nailed down tight and all that, I guess it just seems like to go from zero to mastered-album, then give figure three months lead time for promo, preorders, all that stuff, that puts you into probably September at the earliest. Doable, yeah. But with a band like this, whose sound is so meditative and fleshed out, you’d almost rather they take their time.

Don’t hurry, is all I’m saying. Yes, I’m very much looking forward to what Besvärjelsen might do next. I guess maybe I’m just fretting over nothing. Such a worrier, this one.

More important, congrats to the band on the Magnetic Eye signing, though they were with Blues Funeral, so it’s Jadd either way. Distribution don’t hurt though.

PR wire brings details:

BESVÄRJELSEN sign deal with Magnetic Eye Records

BESVÄRJELSEN have penned a multi-album deal with Magnetic Eye Records. The Swedish forest rockers will release their sophomore album via the label this year and also contribute a track to the forthcoming “Back in Black Redux” homage to AC/DC.

BESVÄRJELSEN comment: “We are extremely thrilled to be joining Magnetic Eye Records”, writes drummer Erik Bäckwall. “We know that we have come to the right team as we will be joining an amazing roster on this renowned label. In all modesty, we think that we have written our finest material yet for the new record, so we are very much looking forward to record and share it with the world as soon as possible!”

Jadd Shickler welcomes the Swedes: “I feel extremely privileged in welcoming Besvärjelsen onto our roster and I promise that the world of heavy music will be floored by what this amazing group does next”, comments the Magnetic Eye Records label director. “Having been part of the heavy rock underground for some time, I am fortunate to know many great musicians going back quite a few years. Sometimes such artists re-emerge with new bands and projects and I am lucky to be one of the first to hear about them. The very moment that original Dozer drummer Erik let me hear material from his new band Besvärjelsen, I knew they were something special and magical. Altareth, Heavy Temple, and now Besvärjelsen, 2021 is shaping up to be a hell of year for great bands joining Magnetic Eye Records.”

Spellbinding five-piece BESVA?RJELSEN take their name from the Swedish word for “conjuring”, which is a fitting description for their haunting approach to Northern heaviness. The Scandinavians carry melodic doom at their hearts, but lace their sound with subtle touches of prog as well as punk, folk, and classic rock.

The Swedes set out to with a clear vision to channel the vast Dalarna forests, a region otherwise famous for its painted wooden horses, instead of following the general trend among European riff-rock bands to try and evoke the American deserts.

The band was co-founded by guitarists and vocalists Andreas Baier and Staffan Stensland Vinrot in 2014, inspired by their magical geographic location. The musicians had both grown up on old Norse and Finnish grounds in Dalecarlia, Sweden surrounded by its lore, its mysticism, and its dark, droning musical traditions. The duo saw their new band as a means to create heavy music infused with all those elements.

Andreas, coming from a background in punk and hardcore, had realised that by constantly making his music faster, it finally hit a point where fast started to become slow. The timing of riffs would cut in half, even with blastbeats going underneath, and his instinctive pattern for slowing things down laid the foundation for BESVA?RJELSEN’s approach.

Initially Andreas and Staffan shared vocal duties, but they concluded that a full-time singer would free them to explore the complexity of their music further. While the duo never made a conscious decision to look for a female vocalist, Lea Amling Alazam arrived with a passion for punk and stoner rock that had started at age 13 at the local skate park. When, to the surprise of the guitarists, her distinctive voiced summoned the intimacy and charisma of singers like NINA SIMONE or AMY WINEHOUSE, Lea became the obvious choice.

BESVA?RJELSEN released their debut EP “Villfarelser” in 2015, which was followed quickly with the “Exil” EP in 2016. At this time, former DOZER and GREENLEAF drummer Erik Ba?ckwall joined the line-up. Both releases, though self-financed and released with minimal promotion, were well-received and even found airplay on Swedish National Radio.

Bass player Johan Rockner (DOZER, GREENLEAF) joined in 2018; just before their debut full-length “Vallmo” came out. The quintet merged crushing riffs and storming drums with increasingly sophisticated melodies and thoughtful themes. The album debut was greeted with great acclaim and even earned BESVA?RJELSEN a festival slot opening for DEEP PURPLE.

With Erik and Johan having played in various bands together and sharing a musical language, the rhythm section started to contribute to the songwriting for the mini-album “Frost”, which was released in late 2019. While BESVA?RJELSEN were forced into involuntary live performance hibernation like every band other during 2020, the Swedes kept themselves busy with intensive songwriting during all those months.

Having now joined Magnetic Eye Records, BESVA?RJELSEN will enter studio in spring 2021 to record their sophomore full-length to be released via the label this year.

Line-up
Lea Amling Alazam- vocals
Staffan Stensland Vinrot – guitars, vocals
Andreas Baier – guitars, vocals
Erik Bäckwall – drums
Johan Rockner – bass

https://www.facebook.com/besvarjelsen
https://www.instagram.com/besvarjelsen
https://besvarjelsen.bandcamp.com/
http://store.merhq.com
http://magneticeyerecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MagneticEyeRecords

Besvärjelsen, Frost (2019)

A few classics, a lot of new music, and a final half-hour that I’d have a hard time imagining could possibly be better spent. I haven’t been able to spend as much time in the Gimme Metal chat during the shows as I’d like — my duties as dad/house-husband in terms of feeding, bedtime ritual, diapers, dinner and all that clash pretty hard with the 5-7PM timeslot, and it’s important to me to do those things as well as to be visible doing them, especially to my son to teach him that a man can be a caregiver (as much as I’m able) — but I always at least check in and keep half an eye on what’s going on in there.

It’s been cool to see the Gimme community develop over time. There are familiar names in there week after week and others come and go. That’s a special kind of connection Gimme has been able to forge that I feel fortunate to be a part of in some small way. I’ve never been cool enough to be a part of a scene. I’m still not. But it’s fun to watch.

The Pecan does indeed feature in this one. He broke out “Listenin’ to Obeliks Show on Give-Me-Metal!” from the back seat of the car and surprised the hell out of me. I think you can probably hear my smile.

Thanks for listening if you do. I hope you enjoy the show.

The Obelisk Show airs 5PM Eastern today on the Gimme app or at http://gimmemetal.com

Full playlist:

The Obelisk Show – 10.02.20

The Obelisk Show on Gimme Metal airs every Friday 5PM Eastern, with replays Sunday at 7PM Eastern. Next new episode is Oct. 16 (subject to change). Thanks for listening if you do.

Gimme Metal website

The Obelisk on Thee Facebooks

As a genre, doom is a long way from gender parity. It’s perhaps an optimistic viewpoint to take to say that the current generation of bands is past the point of seeing women artists as a novelty or downplaying their contributions to male bandmates or counterparts, but frankly I’m not even sure that’s true on a universal level. The inherent sexualization of performance — often willfully and hilariously ignored by men watching other men on stage — subjects women artists to a masculine gaze that at times is problematic even as it also serves as an expression of feminine power. As to what it means to be a woman artist in “doom,” or as to what “doom” is — where it starts and ends — I’m no one to speak to either experience, so I look at the Women of Doom compilation, highlighting women artists in and out their respective bands, as kind of a sad celebration. It’s well worth underscoring the stylistic contributions these women are making — and in a society that saw women paid 79 cents per every dollar a man made in 2019, well worth giving women every nod they can get, if not things like universal health coverage and reproductive rights — but a bit of a bummer that we’re not in a place where the norm would make such a compilation superfluous.

Whatever else doom is, it’s not there, but if Blues Funeral Recordings and Desert Records — both labels run by men, speaking of areas where women are underrepresented — wanted to, they could easily turn Women of Doom into a series. While Women of Doom brings together luminaries such as Amy Tung Barrysmith of Year of the Cobra, Doomstress Alexis of Doomstress, Mlny Parsonz of Royal Thunder and introduces two projects of former SubRosa members in The Otolith and Rebecca Vernon‘s The Keening, along with bands like Heavy Temple, Frayle, Sweden’s Besvärjelsen and France/Ireland’s Deathbell, there are a few conspicuous absences. Perhaps most glaringly, Windhand frontwoman, Dorthia Cottrell, is nowhere to be found, likewise an all-women act like Blackwater Holylight. And the same goes for a generational pioneer like Lori S. of Acid King, but it is inevitably a positive to say that it would be nearly impossible for Women of Doom — in a single go — to be so comprehensive. And as it is, the comp does well in setting an atmosphere across its full tracklisting, which reads as follows:

1. Nighthawk and Heavy Temple – Astral Hand 05:12
2. Amy Tung Barrysmith – Broken 06:04
3. Besvärjelsen – A Curse to be Broken 06:47
4. Mlny Parsonz – A Skeleton is Born 04:57
5. Frayle – Marrow 04:53
6. The Otolith – Bone Dust 04:31
7. Doomstress Alexis – Facade 04:47
8. Deathbell – Coldclaw 04:24
9. The Keening – A Shadow Covers Your Face 05:05
10. Mlny Parsonz – Broke An Arrow (Bonus) 03:25

The accomplishment of Women of Doom finding cohesion despite the variety of songwriting and performance modes is not to be understated. Beginning with Heavy Temple — here billed as Nighthawk and Heavy Temple — taking on a purely classic epic doom sound with the willfully Candlemassian “Astral Hand” sets a high bar, as grandiosity suits the Philly unit almost oddly well. They are maybe the odd-band-out in terms of aesthetic on Women of Doom, which is doubly ironic given “Astral Hand” is the most traditionally doomed song on the nine-plus-one-tracker and it’s not a style Heavy Temple generally play, but the darkened atmosphere they build sees immediate flourish in the piano-led composition “Broken” by Amy Tung Barrysmith, who only confirms through her work here that Year of the Cobra have only just begun their greater creative exploration. As one of two non-US acts present, Besvärjelsen are, as ever, a showcase for the vocal presence of Lea Amling Alazam, but their moodier post-doom on “A Curse to Be Broken” picks up well from “Broken” in more than just the similarity of titles.

By the time it’s a third of the way through, Women of Doom has already run a marked gamut in sound and dynamic, and that’s pretty clearly the intent of the thing. As arguably the most known performer featured, Mlny Parsonz, bassist/vocalist of Atlanta’s Royal Thunder brings a boozy classic rock powerhouse delivery to “A Skeleton is Born.” She returns for the bonus track “Broke an Arrow” in more subdued fashion to close out, and if mainstream rock and roll needed a woman figurehead — which it does, badly — she’d be a good candidate for the position in terms of craft; her work is equal parts dangerous and accessible. Frayle‘s “Marrow” carries mystique as a defining element, and The Otolith and Doomstress Alexis make a fitting pair for their use of strings. For The Otolith, that’s a trait inherited fairly enough from SubRosa, but it’s something of a surprise from Doomstress Alexis, who meets it with a likewise unexpected thrashiness in her guitar. Though maybe not as well known as some of the others, Deathbell stand out in such a way as to leave little to wonder why Kozmik Artifactz picked up their 2018 debut, With the Beyond, for a vinyl release. Their “Coldclaw” does not come from that outing, so perhaps portends something new in the works, and if so, is all the more welcome.

As the first offering from The Keening, “A Shadow Covers Your Face” is of particular interest, as was The Otolith‘s “Bone Dust,” but both projects have in common a nascent feel. That’s particularly true of The Keening‘s inclusion, which is a relatively minimal work of solo piano, placed in a way that answers Amy Tung Barrysmith‘s “Broken” earlier but has the distinction of being instrumental. Both works are evocative, but Rebecca Vernon‘s piano in “A Shadow Covers Your Face” seems to use the otherwise unfilled space surrounding it as an instrument unto itself. That shift in presentation at the conclusion is a well placed reminder of the breadth of what greater gender equity in heavy music has to offer, though frankly, if the case needs to be made by then — or at all — you as the listener have probably missed the point. Still, at its most basic level, removed from a context that sees women continually objectified and typecast in artwork, bands, and listener expectations, Women of Doom is a collection of new and encouraging tracks from a diverse array of up and coming artists and acts. Even the most established artist here, which is Parsonz, is reaching beyond what she’s done before, and that too is an important message that shouldn’t be ignored.

Blues Funeral Recordings on Thee Facebooks

Blues Funeral Recordings on Bandcamp

Blues Funeral Recordings website

Desert Records on Thee Facebooks

Desert Records on Bandcamp

Desert Records BigCartel store

As it would, the addition of Swedish outfit Besvärjelsen brings a new breadth of atmosphere to the lineup for Høstsabbat 2020, with the added bonus that it’ll be the band’s first time in Oslo. Their 2019 EP, Frost (review erereview here, saw their particular emotionalist ambience take on a woodsy spirit, and though I was pleased to be able to write the liner notes for the limited Postwax release thereof, the release still offers surprising depth when I put it on to listen, as I might, say, when writing about the band being added to Høstsabbat and going to Norway to play it. Go figure.

This festival, by the way, is going to sell out. You should go. I hope to go again as well, but whether I do or not, I can only recommend it on a life-experience level. The setting, the atmosphere, the sound and the visuals are all stellar and worth the trip from wherever you might be making it. Just a side note. Word to the wise, as it were.

I didn’t write the announcement below, but I did tweak the copy before it went out, so at least there’s that. Still, I cut and pasted it from the festival’s social media — as opposed to from my .txt file — so here it is in PR wire blue:

Høstsabbat 2020 – BESVÄRJELSEN (SE)

Let’s head back to Sweden.

Besvärjelsen is a relatively fresh band, but their debut LP, 2018’s ‘Vallmo’ — released through no less than the reliable source that is Suicide Records — launched the quintet into the Swedish and European stoner rock scene with full force. They were highly acclaimed for their Swedish lyrics and inspiration from folk music — as well as for featuring ex-Dozer members Erik Bäckwall (drums) and Johan Rockner (bass) — but to be honest, the album flew a bit under our radar at Høstsabbat. Not for long.

Their 2019 ‘Frost’ EP, out on Blues Funeral Recordings, hit like a tornado with undeniable groove and constant forward push. The sound and riffs came on tight and clever, reflecting on the darkness of nature of the endless woods in their home area of Dalarna.

This ethereal spirit and the coinciding haunting melodies of Lea Amling Alazam’s vocals put Besvärjelsen in a league of their own. Their sound crafted with finesse to the point that it’s hard to put their records aside. They just get stuck on repeat.

Are Besvärjelsen the next big thing from our neighbouring Swedes?

Høstsabbat is proud to present this stellar band for first time in Oslo.

TICKETS
http://bit.ly/hostsabbat2020

HØSTSABBAT 2020 SPOTIFY PLAYLIST
http://bit.ly/SFhostsabbat2020

NEWSLETTER
http://bit.ly/NLhostsabbat

Artwork: Trine Grimm Tattoo / Linda K Røed

https://www.facebook.com/events/431138574088425/
https://www.facebook.com/hostsabbat/
http://hostsabbat.no/