Posted in Whathaveyou on May 28th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
I went back and looked, and when I reviewed Warchief‘s 2015 self-titled debut (of course I was late on it), I said it sounded like the beginning of a longer exploration, as some first-albums do. Sometimes, a band just sounds like they’re digging in for a longer haul, and that was the vibe I got. Well, it’s been a decade and while they don’t have a string of LPs since Warchief to demonstrate it, hopefully the upcoming Toil & Trouble, which sees the Jyväskylä, Finland, four-piece signed to Argonauta Records imprint Octopus Rising, will bear out the point.
The two-thus-far singles posted from the album speak well. “Ghost Egg” was first, is longer, and reminds a bit of the prior LP in its willingness to go and see where it ends up. It opens the album. The second streaming track below is “Mothmaker,” more recently posted, is shorter and has a desert-style shove in its second half built toward through the progression of the first. Both are immersive, and I’ll accordingly expect the same when the album lands. Not complaining about it.
From the PR wire:
WARCHIEF Announce Sophomore Album Toil & Trouble; New single “Mothmaker” out now
Experimental heavy rock explorers WARCHIEF are proud to announce their eagerly awaited second album, Toil & Trouble, set for release on July 18, 2025.
Hailing from Finland, WARCHIEF’s sound is a dynamic fusion of stoner, doom, and sludge metal, infused with elements of grunge, 90’s alternative rock, progressive rock, and AOR. Rooted deeply in heavy rock traditions yet boldly experimental, the band crafts immersive sonic journeys propelled by relentless energy and nuanced interplay between crushing heaviness and delicate melodies.
Since their 2011 demo For Heavy Damage and their critically acclaimed self-titled debut album in 2015, WARCHIEF has continuously evolved their sound. Their 2019 EP Morning Home marked a shift towards more progressive and exploratory territories while retaining their heavy, sludge-laden core.
Toil & Trouble builds on this evolution, amplifying the band’s signature contrasts, combining quiet beauty with crushing heaviness in complex new ways. This sophomore release captures the band at a peak of creative exploration and sonic mastery.
To celebrate the album announcement, WARCHIEF unveils the second single, “Mothmaker”, a track that perfectly encapsulates the album’s blend of atmosphere and power. Listen to “Mothmaker” here:https://song.link/warchief
Toil & Trouble Tracklist: Ghost Egg Toil & Trouble To Whatever End Maailmankaikkeus On Pikimusta Ja Täynnä Suuria Vaarallisia Tähtiä I Can’t Sleep At Night Mothmaker
Toil & Trouble will be available on July 18, 2025, on CD, colored vinyl and digital platforms via Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records.
Warchief is Tommi Rintala Teemu Pellonpää Arttu Nieminen Juho Saarikoski
Austrian heavy rockers Grey Czar released their third album, Euarthropodia, last month through Octopus Rising/Argonauta Records. Running nine tightly-composed songs and 38-minutes, it’s a versatile collection themed around the well-earned fall of homo sapiens and the ascent of a new insectoid primacy. Then you get into “Ballad of Propellerheads” and “Queens of the New World” and there’s more going on than that, but suffice it to say: people out, bugs in. It’s like exactly what happened with the bees in my dining room when I went on vacation last summer. They had an entire civilization going.
But whatever it’s about, the record moves. Each track is somewhere between a little under four and a little under five minutes long — this is roughly consistent with their prior two LPs, though their second, 2018’s Boondoggle, ranged a bit around that — and the Salzburg four-piece revel in the ability to execute different moods and ideas around structural shifts. “Eschaton” starts off with reminding of earlier Kadavar in its roll and proto-metallic urging, while introducing the pointedly garage-y guitar tone, a thinner fuzz than one is used to — that sounds like a criticism; it isn’t; it sounds cool, just different than the heavy rock norm — that the band will build around. In a welcoming hook, they purposefully lay out what they want to do and how they’ll do it, and you’ll never guess what happens next but yes then they go ahead and do the thing.
“Withered World” is an immediate shift in atmosphere after the finish of the sweeping opener, but still resolves in a heavy-enough push to carry momentum into the piano-inclusive start of “Insects Took Over” (video premiere below). Like “Withered World,” “Insects Took Over” takes a minute or so to get going, but it boogies once it’s there, with a modern-sounding take on Heavy ’10s nod that gives over to “Trooping for Euarthropodia,” where things continue to get weirder. At 4:51, “Trooping for Euarthropodia” is one of the longest songs, and it’s inarguably progressive in how it’s built up around the central chug and flow into the chorus, Spidergawd-esque or maybe that’s a Motorpsycho influence, but it’s catchy either way and moves through its big finish into the quieter start of “Ballad of Propellerheads,” a harmony-over-strum centerpiece that becomes a fuller-buzz-toned push and winding proggy twists.
Wolfgang Brunauer‘s bass holds it together, but Grey Czar — with drummer Wolfgang Ruppitsch (also other percussion), vocalist/guitarist Roland Hickmann and keyboardist/vocalist Florian Primavesi — have already proven by the time the album’s halfway over that there’s no real danger of derailing. Like the guitar tone, the songwriting is sharp throughout Euarthropodia, and that aids the transition in vibe as “Queens of the New World” injects ’80s keyboard-inclusive metal vibes — think Ozzy circa ’83, plus buzz and some more of that Kadavarian roll — breaking into oddball nuance in the solo, suitably circus-like and otherworldly, nigh on theatrical.
The acoustic beginning of “Nutritional Protocol” brings Sweden’s Asteroid to mind, which is an impression bolstered by the vocal melody, but the sense of something strange remains, held over from “Queens of the New World,” so while the plucked strings tap almost wistful emotionality, the fluid riffing that ensues, breaks for the verse, and resumes, there’s still the story being told and a suitable instrumental backdrop for it. The grounded chorus finishes out before “Arthrobotic Liberty” brings electric organ forward to complement the shuffle in the guitar, bass and drums, threatening to rest in the midsection ultimately not giving up the energetic charge as it comes out of its solo into the last crashout ahead of the closing cut “Aeon.”
For the scope of the plot they’re conveying, Grey Czar don’t do much throughout Euarthropodia that one would really call self-indulgent on a musical level. Their parts aren’t held down by needless flourish, and though they can give a feeling of expanse when they want to, they’re always doing so in service to the song itself and its place in the succession of the whole. That applies to “Aeon” as well, but I’d be surprised if the last cut on the record wasn’t put together specifically to be the closer. It brings keyboards to the forefront to add more drama and once again finds movement and noteworthy melody in the proceedings. They finish with a bit of shove but never ‘break character’ in terms of the character of the album itself and the methods employed, and that cohesion makes Euarthropodia‘s world all the more vivid.
And after all that? The video premiere. You’ll find the clip, which was directed by Brunauer, in the embed below, followed by some words from the band about it, some PR wire background, the audio for the album (again, it’s out, so have at it), and the lyric video for “Withered World,” in case you’d like to search out the easter egg noted in the band quote.
As always, I hope you enjoy.
Grey Czar, “Insects Took Over” video premiere
Grey Czar on “Insects Took Over”:
“Insects Took Over” is the third track on our new album Euarthropodia. It describes the uprising new species, soundscapes of myriads of creatures forming shifting landscapes and floating clouds, leaving the fallen world in fear and faint. On the album we tried to sketch this horror scenario in a concrete way but open it up to give space for interpretation and a critical view on us human beings and our ruthlessness in relation to our base of needs and environment.
The video takes on this main idea and shows the transformed beings got stuck in the same patterns. The idea for the screenplay is leaned to David Lynches “The Rabbits” and sets a counterpart to the serious and heavy approach of the music, in a slightly humoristic way. We all are existing, each and everyone of us in his surrounding, doing things. Like cutting a cucumber, hoovering, caressing the tablet, watching TV … essential things.
Our bassist Wolfgang shot the film, and he build the “Living room scene” in his garage, got all the props, like the couch, the carpet floor, the lamps and self-designed wallpaper and we shot the scene in a one take. After that we transferred the whole setting to our rehearsal room for the performance video part and Wolfi assembled the video. We also placed an easter egg, for those who watched our lyrics video for “Withered World”.
Hailing from Salzburg, Austria, GREY CZAR is a four-piece heavy rock outfit featuring two guitars, keys, bass, drums and up to three vocals. Their music is melodic and riff-driven, oscillating between heavier and mellow sounds, while having a flair for progressive elements.
The band was founded in 2010 when its four members came together to share their mutual passion for music. Taken by the idea to play stoner rock the band quickly discovered new grounds and as the group’s personalities evolved so did the music, which continues its natural development.
Since their self-titled debut LP in 2012, GREY CZAR has released an EP „The Men Who Harvest the Sea” in 2014, and their session-recorded sophomore long player „Boondoggle“ in 2018, which was well received in the scene.
Grey Czar are: Roland Hickmann – vocals/guitar/percussion Florian Primavesi – vocals/guitar/keys Wolfgang Brunauer – vocals/bass Wolfgang Ruppitsch – drums/percussion
This Friday, Aug. 30, marks the release of Vast Pyre‘s seven-song debut full-length, Vast Pyre. The album is being issued through Argonauta imprint Octopus Rising, and its five-song/50-minute course is a willfully gruesome slog through murky, threatening and obscure doom, with influences from (and not limited to) Electric Wizard, Slomatics, Conan and Venom coming together in a hybrid extremity that’s stinkface-heavy and captured raw in a way that feels as much about aesthetic as budget. Nasty stuff, and there are plenty of times where the duo of drummer/vocalist Ch. Wallstein and guitarist A. Först toe the line between doom and filthier sludge, especially tonally — I’m not saying it’s the guitar tone being depicted as giant statues of dead hooded figures in the cover art, but I’m not not saying it either — but Wallstein‘s vocals reside largely in a post-Jus Oborn drawl when not veering into more cave-metal barks in “Cataleptic,” and that gives even the meganodding chug of “Revelation” as it approaches its midpoint its own context.
With each track between nine and 11 minutes long, Vast Pyre come across as purposeful in how they’ve constructed the songs, whether that’s lead cut “Focus Deceased” welcoming listeners with harsher vocal gnash and a tsunami of distortion early on or the dark minimalism in the intro of closer “The Argent Tomb” leading to a wah parade likewise dark, dank and doomed, with no shortage of rumble for something that doesn’t actually feature bass.
“Revelation” spaces out in the midsection that follows that chug, and “Cataleptic” emerges as the most active piece of Vast Pyre in terms of tempo and Wallstein‘s drums — at least for most of it — but between the vocal changes and the malleable lead guitar donated to the cause by J.-P. Peter, mellow and psychedelia-adjacent in topping the second-half build of “Eternal Funeral,” cutting through the crescendo of “Focus Deceased” or twisting shred before the next grumbling verse of “Cataleptic” starts around eight minutes in, there’s scope as well as bludgeon to what Vast Pyre are doing, even if what they’re conveying is monotony. I haven’t seen a lyric sheet, but it’s probably safe to assume “Eternal Funeral” isn’t about puppy snuggles, and the corresponding impression throughout the record is rot-stoner metal with a pointedly doomed outlook.
They’re clearly aware of genre, but not without an individual take on it either, which particularly as this is their first album helps enrich the experience overall. Also not to be discounted is what the lead guitar brings to the mix, whether that’s emphasizing the mellow creeper malevolence of “Revelation” or riding the coursing groove that takes hold as “The Argent Tomb” pushes to the record’s finish, but it’s not the only element working with a nascent sense of variety in terms of approach, however much the entirety of the release can feel monolithic on first listen in terms of mood and extremity.
Some of that impression is born out of the atmosphere that pervades, yes, in the quieter stretches like that of “Revelation” — and much to Vast Pyre‘s credit, they avoid the trap of post-metallic loud/quiet tradeoffs while keeping their transitions fluid — but also from the heaviest and most consuming moments. Repetition-born hypnosis is a factor, but while the songs are on the longer end of consideration, there is no lack of movement within and between them, loping as it may be.
Coupled with a balance between the claustrophobic and spacious, tonal largesse and rawer presentation, Vast Pyre holds up to as much volume as one might to give it, and if you’ve got headphones ready, be prepared for a downgrade in your general sense of wellbeing. But if you can hang with it, the crypt-lurch offers grim reward in its density, churn and willingness to depart in brooding contemplation. I’m not taking anything away from Germany’s long history in doom, but the record is so miserable you’d almost swear it was British. That’s intended as a compliment, mind you.
Don’t expect a lot of hype here. As much as Vast Pyre might play toward the-most-of-the-thing in their voluminous ethic, their self-titled is a work of extremity and ready to alienate as much as engross. This is part of the appeal, ultimately — if it was for everyone, it would be pop — and something in which Först, Wallstein and even Peter seem to revel. If you think you’re up for joining them in that, the album streams in its entirety on the player below, followed by more background from the PR wire.
I’m not sure if “enjoy” is the right word. Whatever equivalent might apply, do that:
Vast Pyre, Vast Pyre album premiere
German stoner/doom band VAST PYRE will release their highly anticipated self-titled debut full-length album on August 30th via Octopus Rising!
The album tracklisting: 1. Focus Deceased (9:24) 2. Cataleptic (10:26) 3. Revelation (10:00) 4. Eternal Funeral (9:18) 5. The Argent Tomb (11:26)
In the end of 2021 Försti (guitar) and Wally (drums, vocals) were in the mood and got together to jam some Stoner/Doom tunes from Electric Wizard, Black Sabbath, Sleep etc. and hanging out from time to time. Genre-specific, they knew what they wanted. After some sessions and finding the right sound, they concentrated on writing their own songs – a few ideas got discarded. Bit by bit, they extended their backline/equipment in the rehearsal room, because they needed to add more low-end to the guitar. In the end, there was a huge backline that drove their sound and they decided to not put in any bass-guitar as an instrument separately: they just wanted to make “guitar-only” music. Later, their friend Jonny (lead guitar) joined the band at the end of 2022. Henceforth, the songs were rearranged and fine tuned. In August 2023 Vast Pyre opened for the Festival “Burgbrand Open Air” and shared the stage with bands like EREMIT and INDIAN NIGHTMARE, to name just a few. That should be the only concert they played that year, because first they wanted to record/mix their stuff, what they eventually did from November 2023 to February this year.
VAST PYRE is: Ch. Wallstein – Vocals/Drums A. Först – Guitar
