Listening to Leeds four-piece Wizard’s Beard’s first outing, 2011’s Pure Filth, there was no mystery as to their mission. The record (review here) was a disaffected output of sludge metal malevolence; it set a course for hate and did not waver in its aggressive onslaught for the full 32-minute runtime. Just months later, Wizard’s Beard return with a full-length some 20-plus minutes longer, Four Tired Undertakers (Altsphere Productions), an album that furthers their sludgy cause with six tracks of ultra-pissed screaming, riffing and crashing that’s neither for the uninitiated, nor the faint of heart, nor the sober. The guitars of Craig Jackson have grown thicker in tone, and that only helps bolster the attack behind Chris Hardy’s vicious, metal-style screaming, and while just like if you play space rock, someone’s going to compare you to Hawkwind, if you play slow and scream, someone’s going to compare you to EyeHateGod, the reality of the situation is Wizard’s Beard are less punk-based and more metal than that band ever became, and Four Tired Undertakers may have some of that influence – I’d argue it does, whether direct or as filtered through other acts who had it – is nowhere near as raw as the New Orleans sludge progenitors’ formative or even later works. It’s a different kind of groove, more aware of the genre in which it resides and not necessarily content to stay within those confines – because there’s nothing about Four Tired Undertakers that sounds content really on any level – but not yet fully in a position stylistically to weave into and between them.

The crux of the album is the aggression, though, no doubt about it. Wizard’s Beard offer no quarter for subtlety as they pummel and drive these six songs into listeners’ skulls. It’s not a pretty process and it’s not supposed to be, and it’s not long before opener “Subrise el Muerto” establishes what will become the almost completely unipolar burn of which Four Tired Undertakers is comprised. Jackson riffs out in mostly familiar doomed diligence while drummer Dan Clarke punctuates and crashes behind, riding the groove even as much as he’s helping set it. Bassist Neil Travers offers periodic backing vocals, coming on as a lower growl to supplement Hardy’s higher-register nastiness on “Abandon the Wolf” and elsewhere, and the whole atmosphere of the album feels like burning. 53 minutes is a long time to keep that up, and Wizard’s Beard set themselves to precisely that task, varying some in pace – the mega-slowdown later into “Abandon the Wolf” being especially effective in this regard – if not in mindset. It’s an engaging blend, as far as this kind of music is allowed to engage. As “Abandon the Wolf” transitions directly and smoothly into the upbeat beginning of longer third cut “Daemon,” which spends the first three of its total nine and a half minutes in a faster push, Clarke even getting some time on double-kick, before once more being consumed by a slower, tidal sway. Hardy’s scream is adaptable to whatever speed of riff it tops, and follows the rhythm of the music closely while also offering some intricacy of cadence, particularly when Travers gets involved, as he does just before the slowdown in “Daemon.”

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The man who would later become known as William the Conqueror set about earning his name in 1066, leading the Norman Conquest of England. Until his new moniker took its place, he was William the Bastard, and as England‘s first Norman king, he would struggle to keep his hold of power till the time of his death in 1088, quelling rebellions and continuously working to secure his position.

It’s the story of that struggle that seems to have interested Leeds instrumental post-doom trio Wiht (not to be confused with German stonerly heavyweights Wight) , who’ve given the title The Harrowing of the North to their self-released debut full-length in reference to William‘s quashing an uprising in Scotland shortly after assuming the throne in the late 1060s. Using historical documentation, Wiht craft a narrative through the album’s 20-minute titular cut entirely without the use of vocals, relying solely on the shifting mood of the song to act as emotional and functional descriptor.

That alone would be fascinating enough for me to want to hit the band up with Six Dumb Questions, but I was also eager to find out how “Orderic Vitalis,” the second and only other track on The Harrowing of the North, fit into the story, and how the idea came about to delve into England‘s rich imperial history of wars and kings. The band, who recorded The Harrowing of the North at Ghosttown Recording Studio, were happy to comply, with both guitarist Chris Wayper and bassist Joe Hall — the lineup is rounded out by drummer Rick Contini — offering explanation of the motives and circumstances behind the creation.

The Harrowing of the North was previously reviewed here, if you’d like to check it out, and please enjoy the following Six Dumb Questions:

1. Tell me how the band got together. Things seem to have worked out pretty quickly between when you started playing and when you did your first show between April-August, 2009. Did you know specifically the sound you guys wanted when you started playing?

Chris: All three of us have been good friends for as long as we can remember, we played in bands together when we were younger but then all went our separate ways musically. Myself and Joe spoke for a while about getting something together, something heavy and fuzzed out. We then contacted Rick (drummer) and it all got together pretty sharpish!! Our first rehearsal revolved around several riffs and a bottle of good dark rum!! We felt the best way to get our shit together would be to book some gigs and have something to aim towards, it worked and the gigs went down a treat! The first EP we kind of knew what we wanted to do, and we were all really happy with the way it came out.

Joe: THotN was nothing like what we expected, due to adding/changing/breaking down and swapping parts around, it turned into something completely different… So I guess we have changed drastically from the way we initially wanted Wiht to sound, but still keeping the slow and heavy side to it alive and healthy.

2. What was it about the story of William the Conqueror that inspired you to take it on for The Harrowing of the North? Many bands write about the histories of their homelands, but with such a rich well to draw from, were there other stories that competed with this one?

Joe: I guess due to the fact that we were all brought up in Yorkshire, this is the tale that had the most relevance to us, and with it being a morbid and cruel subject it fits the overall feel of the band quite well. The first EP was loosely based around this concept also, just not to the degree THotN is.

I think Neil Edward, the artist who did the cover, did an absolute sterling job at replicating this into drawing for us as well.

There are tones of other tales and stories we would love to write about, maybe in the future we will explore further subjects such as British/Northern myths and tales, tales concerning Christianity, Scandinavian myths/Sagas, folklore etc. The possibilities here are endless….

3. How did the process of writing the album work? Were the movements of the song “William the Conqueror” written separately, or did you know ahead of time how you wanted them all to work together?

Chris: We had written “Orderic Vitalis” long before we started writing “The Harrowing of the North.” “Orderic” was written just after we released the s/t EP and represented a change in direction. We then began to think about recording the next record and set about writing the next song “The Harrowing of the North.” This took about a year!! The song initially was written in sections then was drawn together before entering the studio. With the help of Ross [Halden] from Ghost Town Studios in Leeds, the song manifested itself into something we never could have imagined!! Ross is a genius, he’d probably hate being called that but it’s true!! He really helped us see our ambition of developing and creating this “concept” piece. So, I guess the writing process was done in the studio and practice room. As we were writing the parts to “The Harrowing of the North” I think we began to develop a sense of what this could turn into but the theme and concept for the record developed with the songwriting process

4. At what point did you realize you wanted Wiht to be completely instrumental? Working with such a specific theme and narrative, was there ever any temptation to take on a singer or have one of the three of you take on the role yourselves?

Chris: Singers are a pain in the arse!!! Nah… I guess as the band developed the need for a singer declined. We thought of the idea at the start and it’s probably fair to say some of the earlier tracks may have benefited in some cases from a singer. Personally, the greatest compliments from the reviews so far of The Harrowing of the North is the universal acceptance we don’t need or lose out from not having a singer on this record. Now, I think, we have developed a dynamic that means we write songs with no singing in mind, the need for vocals is replaced by a need for more riffs! The concept of The Harrowing of the North also lends itself well to our instrumental style. Having a concept and no vocals can allow the listener to imagine their own narrative without someone wailing over the top!

Joe: It’s all about the riff!

5. How does “Orderic Vitalis” relate to the concept of the album, or does it? Will subsequent releases also keep to historical themes, or do you see a change in the songwriting process in the future of the band?

Chris:  “Orderic Vitalis” pays homage to the outspoken chronicler of William the Conqueror.  A loyal subject, he was outraged and sickened with the unrelenting fury and cruelty William showed during the raids. He basically deserved his own song, not many people would of spoken so ill of the king! Orderic was also there at the time of William’s death, he claims William’s remorse of the raids and regret of the massacres he inflicted. The quote on the inside of The Harrowing of the North and on the back of our s/t EP are quotes from Orderic Vitalis in his epic writings Historia Ecclesiastica. It felt right to make this a separate track, an opus to Orderic and a vindication of William the Bastard!

The songwriting process is a pretty natural occurrence, I can’t see that changing. In regards to whether we continue with a theme or concept, I don’t know. They are pretty tough to write and to also make relevant to the listener, especially without vocals and I guess we hit something special with The Harrowing of the North, it may be foolish to try and repeat it!

6. Any other plans or closing words you want to mention?

Chris & Joe: Yeah… we’ve started writing for the next record, sounding different from the last but that’s not to say it will change too much! We’re aiming for a vinyl release of The Harrowing of the North… you heard it here first!! Hopefully February/March 2012. Got some great shows lined up too, London, Edinburgh, Leeds, Oxford; check our Facebook page for them. Big shout out to the Leeds scene too, there are some truly great bands kicking around, most notably Wizard’s Beard, Tree of Sores, Khuda and A Forest of Stars. Also some mates from around the UK you MUST check out, (if you haven’t already): Undersmile, Conan, Slabdragger and Haar.

See you around!!

Wiht on Thee Facebooks

Wiht’s BigCartel store

Centered mostly around its heavy-hitting title cut, the debut self-released full-length from British doomers Wiht culls together heavy sludge tonality and foreboding atmospherics to tell the story of William the Conqueror’s quelling of a Scottish rebellion in the late 1060s. With no vocals. Okay, maybe relying on instruments only to tell a highly-specific, historically-based narrative is a bold move, but sure, one could read the eight component movements that are combined into the 20:47 “Harrowing of the North” as having a narrative flow. In any case, the song is certainly grand enough to stand in line with its purported themes, and the trio Wiht do well in evoking an array of moods all within a singular direction. The Harrowing of the North has several familiar elements, but guitarist Chris Wayper, bassist Joe Hall and drummer Rick Contini carve a personality out of them nonetheless, and the Ross Halden production job at Leeds’ Ghosttown Recording Studio does well to bring that out. Halden also adds synth to “The Harrowing of the North” (Charlie Barnes of prog rockers Amplifier donates piano), and though the effect is one that rounds out to Wiht having some measure of a post-metal influence, they’re working with a more complex palette than just the basic and well-worn tactics of the subgenre.

That said, like most releases with even the most vague post-metal leanings, Wiht have their “Stones From the Sky” moment, and by that I mean they too fall prey to the inclusion of post-metal’s most copped riff from the end of the closer of Neurosis’ seminal 2001 album, A Sun That Never Sets. “The Harrowing of the North” has about 10 full minutes before it gets there, though, opening quietly with a movement dubbed “1069” (again, these are all presented as one track, so if I get the timing wrong, I apologize; I’m basically guessing based on the changes in the song) for the first several minutes that leads to the heavier riffing of “From the Humber to the Tees” at around four minutes in. Contini proves an immediate asset to The Harrowing of the North, with steady tom hits and effective crashes punctuating Wayper’s spacebound guitar layers. A stretch of genuine stoner rock riffage commences with “Scortched Earth” that’s probably Wiht’s most straightforward move within “The Harrowing of the North,” setting up the softer but still active “Famine,” which in turn gives way to the half-time drummed “Wasta Est,” and finally, the aforementioned “Remorse,” which becomes the crux of the song for its second half almost immediately upon its arrival at 12:37. They could, and others have, but Wayper, Hall and Contini don’t just ride that riff out for the last 10 minutes of “The Harrowing of the North,” instead transitioning smoothly into the quieter “William the Bastard,” only to be revived as closing segment “1087” – the year of William’s death – rounds out the track. That riff is really the only repeated element of “The Harrowing of the North,” and though it’s been done many times over at this point, Wiht put it to good use, finishing the journey of the song with some string sounds buried under the distorted portions of the mix — likely that would be Halden’s synth – and coming out sounding more influenced than derived.

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Of all the records I’ve encountered thus far into 2011, Wizard’s Beard‘s Pure Filth might be the most aptly named. It’s more of a mission statement for the Leeds four-piece, and they live up to it every bit of the way. The outfit’s first full-length, initially self-released, was picked up for wider issue through the respectable PsycheDOOMelic Records.

That in itself is a worthy endorsement for the ethic of Wizard’s Beard, but their extreme sludge earns respect on its own the whole way across Pure Filth. They don’t veer from their approach in any significant way, instead challenging the listener with a nastiness of sound that few approach, as if to find out just how much you can take before you give into their assault. Their songs don’t swagger so much as they stab.

With a follow-up to Pure Filth already recorded — no word on whether it’s called Riffy Fuckall in keeping with the “doing what they say and saying what they do” idea of the debut — the time seemed right to learn more about Wizard’s Beard‘s origins, plans, and European tour where they sold seats in their van to anyone who wanted to join them on the road. Guitarist Craig Jackson was kind enough to field the interview.

Wizard’s Beard is Jackson alongside vocalist Chris Hardy, bassist/backing vocalist Neil Travers and drummer Dan Clarke. Please enjoy the following Six Dumb Questions:

1.Tell me about how the band got together. Where did the name Pure Filth come from for the record, and how did you wind up signing to PsycheDOOMelic?

Well, me and Trav used to be in another band together, and when we called it a day the two of us decided we wanted to stick together and start something new. We both had the same idea to do something slower and dirtier than before…. so that’s exactly what we did.

We shouted around for a drummer and Dan was quick to offer his services.

Then all we needed was vocals. I’d been a huge fan of Agent of the Morai when they were around and I knew Chris hadn’t been doing anything since then. I got a fairly enthusiastic response when I asked him to join us… I think he’d been getting withdrawal symptoms from being a lunatic with a microphone!

Pure Filth came about simply because that’s what we set out to do. Make slow horrible filthy music. We have no intention of bringing in any beautiful melodies or wanky guitar solos. We’re here to play big fat dirty riffs, that’s it.

The PsycheDOOMelic thing came out of the blue to be honest. We were putting the album out ourselves so I’d been shouting about it all over the forums and wherever I could, and putting the track “Paint the Skies” up everywhere. When it had been out for about four days, [Hegedus] Mark from PsycheDOOMelic got in touch to ask if he could stock it. When he found out we’d released it ourselves he asked if we’d consider releasing it through PsycheDOOMelic, and that was that!

2. How did the writing process for the album go, and how was the time in the studio? When were the songs written? How long were you in the studio?

I already had all the songs written for the album with exception of “The Albatross.” They’d been written for a while and were just waiting to be used. “Albatross,” was differently based and came about when we just started jamming in the rehearsal room. As we were jamming the main riff I started coming up with small variants on it in my head and start to work out an idea for the structure. I went home and finalised it all and we went back in and put it together. It turned out to be my favourite song on the album too. We recorded demos for each of the songs beforehand and passed them to Chris and he wrote his lyrics away from rehearsals. When Trav was doing his backing vocals in the studio he was learning them there and then.

We were only in the studio for two days on this one so we had to blast through it. Out of 48 hours in the weekend, we were in the studio for 26. It was fairly intense but we all picked our poison to help us through (whisky, beer, cigarettes, pot noodles… cake!). Ross [Halden] at Ghost Town put some serious time and effort in to help us get it done, he’s a major part in how that recording turned out.

3. I thought I read you have a follow-up already written? How does it compare to the first album?

Not only is it written, but it is now officially recorded. Just with Fragment Mastering getting finished off now! It’s due for release around March 2012, more details to follow in October with an announcement regarding who’s releasing it, too.

It’s quite a bit darker than the last. It runs around 50 minutes too, so it’s a good chunk longer than the other, despite only having one track more. We had it around the hour mark but cut a song in the studio, as it just didn’t sit right at the time. The album flows a lot better as it is. I’d say it’s a hell of a lot heavier than Pure Filth too.

First two days in the studio we’re a living hell, but I reckon that’s added to the mood, ha ha! The album is called Four Tired Undertakers, keep your ear to the ground for more info.

4. Tell me about the upcoming tour of Europe. You’re bringing people along with you in the van? Is this just some evil trick to get them to work your merch table?

Ha ha! Well it was more out of necessity, but in the end it’s shaping up pretty damn good. Essentially, we had to hire a van for the European leg of the tour. The van and driver is £100 a day. Now I’m not sure if you realise how much money we make doing this, but it’s somewhere in the region of nothing and less than nothing! So the £700 was a lot to us, on top of petrol and ferry fees… So, we figured, three extra seats, who wants to chip in and come on holiday with a set of idiots like us! Turned out Matt [Faragher] from Tree of Sores, Sam [Read] from Foetal Juice and our good friend and regular cameraman Jez (we may have to supervise any camera related goings on while on this adventure!). So we’ve got a good bunch.

Matt has offered to man the merch table for us though. I think it’s mainly so he can sell Tree of Sores merch!

5. Do you know yet when and where you’ll record the next album, and when it’ll be out?

With regards to the release, we can’t really reveal anything at the moment, but details should come out in October and it will be released early next year (sorry, I can’t be more specific right now).

As for where, that was never in doubt. We went back to Ghost Town Studios to record again. We recorded with Ross last time and we couldn’t ask for anymore. He went out of his way for us last time and his knowledge is second to none. He’s always coming up with ideas to try and help us improve what we’re already doing and he just seems to get what we’re trying to do. It’s now with Fragment Mastering to get to be finished off. There’s never any problems with Fragment, always quick too.

We genuinely can’t wait to get this one out there. There won’t be quite as quick a turnaround after this album, we’ll be taking more time to tour on it and just play a lot more gigs and enjoy being a live band! Recording two albums in the space of seven months is not as much fun as it sounds!

6. Any other plans or closing words you want to mention?

Well we’ve got quite a few gigs lined up besides the tour, including supporting Ufomammut who are without a doubt one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen, so that really is a pleasure.

I’d just like to thank everyone who’s bought any merch or being to see us live, we really do appreciate the support and we’ve had a lot of it.
The doom/sludge scene over here at the moment is thriving and there’s so many good bands about. Undersmile are a band you’ve really got to check out, they have such a unique and creepy sound! Our friends in Wiht and Tree of Sores need to be given a listen too. Then there’s all the other quality bands on these shores like Slabdragger, Conan, Dopefight, Dead Existence, Wet Nuns and of course the amazing Palehorse. We’re playing ‘Kin Hell Fest in Leeds in November and the lineup is ridiculous (Ingested, Astrohenge, Khuda, The Afternoon Gentlemen, Diascorium, Foetal Juice, The Atrocity Exhibit and more!), for those of you over here, get down! Filth Fest in October too is just a monstrous day of sludge/doom and whatever other filth is going on.

We’ve so much to look forward to and we hope to see as many of you as possible when we’re out and about.

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PsycheDOOMelic Records

Sometimes bands lay it all on the table, and you know exactly what you’re getting before you even put the disc on. Such is the case with UK collective Wizard’s Beard, whose vicious sludge coats even the name of their PsycheDOOMelic debut, Pure Filth. If ever the tag “as advertised” applied anywhere, it applies here. The Leeds four-piece top nasty, sometimes angular, riffing and crashing with throat-burning screams, and seem to keep the Pure Filth ethic in mind at all times. In the case of centerpiece track, “Parasite,” their abrasiveness borders on unlistenable, but there seems to be just enough underlying groove throughout the album to keep Wizard’s Beard from tipping over into absolute mayhem. That’s not to say they’re writing songs with catchy choruses or hooks to draw the listener in, or even meeting accessibility halfway somehow – because they’re not – just that if you follow the riff, you might be able to come out of these five tracks with your face still attached to your skull.

The last several years have seen a new league of sludgers take influence from the Southern progenitors of the genre – you know the list – and push the sound into more extreme territory, and Wizard’s Beard seem to do likewise, most especially in the screaming of vocalist Chris Hardy. Where elder sludge had its basis in hardcore punk or crossover, Hardy’s wrenching shout – one can almost hear the phlegm curdling in the back of his mouth – is more purely metallic, or might not sound out of place topping some blastbeat-laden grindcore instead of the numbingly slow Pure Filth closer “The Albatross.” The hate-fest begins immediately with opener “Paint the Skies,” as Hardy tops the beer-chugging riffs of guitarist Craig Jackson and bassist Neil Travers leads a break with drummer Dan Clarke that’s hardly long enough for one to recover from the pummeling Wizard’s Beard have just delivered. Like a lot of Pure Filth, “Paint the Skies” relies on one central figure riff and bases other parts around that, but the repetition is all the more setup for the bridge here, which is slower, more rung out, and finds Travers adding a growl to Hardy’s screams that only bolsters the extremity.

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If you listen closely, you can hear the head on Rick Contini’s bass drum shiver during the hits that kick off UK rockers Wiht’s self-titled, self-released debut EP, as if to signify the natural feel that will permeate the three tracks to come. The Leeds trio have only been around for about a year, starting in April 2009, but their first output – which they call an EP, but actually stretches over 40 minutes – already shows them with a considerable grasp on their sound, an organic vibe, and the patience to let parts breathe as much as necessary to lock into a hazy, near-psychedelic hypnosis.

Production wise, Wiht sounds like it was recorded onto a computer in a room with a low ceiling. Whether or not that’s the case, I don’t know, but the stone-happy grooves are carried across smoothly either way, so though that might come off as a dig on the recording job, it’s really not. It’s a wonder of the modern age that a band like Wiht can go into a studio on the cheap and come out with a clear, crisp recording. 15 years ago, they’d be doing this in the garage on a four-track, and probably poorly. Their EP might not have the professional sheen it would from a major studio, but I think it works for their sound and where their songs go, drifting into and out of long psych/drone passages only to envelop the listener in heaviness again as does the raucous 16-minute opener “Into Ruin.”

Some stoner rockers come to it from punk, but there’s a heavier, more metallic edge to Wiht’s output that you can hear in the guitar work of Chris Wayper. With the entirety of Wiht instrumental, it’s the guitars that usually take the lead, and as “Into Ruin” passes its halfway point and comes to an angular, crushing movement, it’s metal, not punk, that seems the dominant influence. Almost the last five minutes of the song are just Wayper’s guitar with well-placed accents from bassist Joe Hall, but the atmosphere is darker than it was at the beginning of the track, which serves as a suitable lead-in for “And the Thunder Rolls.” The second song, it’s shorter by seven minutes, and starts faster, with Contini’s crash cymbal deep back in the mix and compressed, and Hall’s bass a fuzzy undertone for Wayper’s riffing. Wiht are quick to show of their dynamics, and though I think that given a more professional production setting it could be brought out even more, the character of this material is plain to hear and makes for an enjoyable listen nonetheless. It’s not that something is missing, understand, but as Wayper takes an airy solo midway through “And the Thunder Rolls,” I can’t help but feel there could be less separation among the instruments, and the bass could be higher, and so forth.

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