Pamplona harvesters of cultish melody Kabbalah release their new single ‘Dead Eyes’ as part of Spinda Records‘ comprehensive celebration of the Spanish heavy underground, Grados. Minutos. Segundos., which for the past year now has been pairing acts from the label’s home country/scene across a series of 7″ releases offered in installment batches of three and building toward a box set ultimately featuring 24 bands. Kabbalah join together with Híbrido on their split, which is a not insignificant pairing whether we’re talking on terms of common geography or not.

“Dead Eyes” is a sub-three-and-a-half-minute, hook-laden riffer following the philosophy that anything worth saying is worth saying in harmony. Its verses speak with mystic urgency and its chugging chorus effectively burrows hole in your brain as a place to dwell. There’s some atmosphere thrown in, clearly Kabbalah are keeping the texture in line structurally, and doing so in a manner consistent with early-2021’s The Omen (review here), which came out through Ripple Music offshoot Rebel Waves Records while also all the more suitable for the format that Grados. Minutos. Segundos. puts it on. It’s a single, after all. It should make an impression.

It speaks as well to the classic-heavy ideology on which Kabbalah build their aesthetic foundation, though even in their most ’70s-ish moments, their sound remains wholly modern. If you didn’t hear the last record, “Dead Eyes” — paired in the lyric video below with a still from John Carpenter’s ultra-classic They Live — gives a sampling as only a standalone track could. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself clicking play again when it’s over.

I have been doing my darnedest to keep up with Grados. Minutos. Segundos. as each chapter of the box set has been unveiled, with premieres like this one as well as track-by-tracks from the bands involved, and I’ve professed before that my reason for doing so is I believe deeply in Spinda‘s obvious passion, as well as the sheer scope and ambition in making it happen — never mind coordinating and releasing across 2020-2022. This is — and I’m sure I’ll say again before the series is done — something special to behold.

Enjoy “Dead Eyes”:

Kabbalah, “Dead Eyes” track premiere

Kabbalah on “Dead Eyes”:

The song ‘Dead eyes’ guides the listener through the dimly illuminated world of a passing soul.

Close to the moment of death and at the gates of the underworld, dead eyes can only assume an approaching darkness and sense what may lie afterwards.

Even if we don’t know for sure the fate of the song’s particular soul, the ominous bridge before the last chorus points towards a gloomy afterlife where there’s no possible Requiescat In Pace.

BOXSET FOR SALE AT:
https://spindarecords.bandcamp.com/album/grados-minutos-segundos

“Dead Eyes”, track extracted from ‘Grados. Minutos. Segundos.’, a compilation boxset by Spinda Records.

This track is part of a split vinyl record together with Spanish band Híbrido.

Music & Lyrics by Kabbalah
Recorded and mixed by Guillermo Fernández Mutiloa at MOTU Estudios (Spain)
Mastered at Vacuum Mastering (Spain)

Artwork by The Braves Church.

Various Artists, Grados. Minutos. Segundos. (2022)

Kabbalah on Facebook

Kabbalah on Instagram

Kabbalah on Bandcamp

Spinda Records on Facebook

Spinda Records on Instagram

Spinda Records on Bandcamp

Spinda Records website

There’s no audio yet, so don’t ask. I got a quick listen to some of Mondo Infiel‘s Poliedros album, and given some of the personnel involved in its making — members of Arenna, Atavismo, friggin’ Isaiah Mitchell from Earthless popping in because I guess why not, and so on — the sound is maybe surprisingly terrestrial. Earthy more than cosmic. Still one you want to watch for, however, and something of an achievement in logistics even before you get to factors like songwriting, performance, and so on.

The great irony of Mondo Infiel, of course, is that even though the list of personnel surrounding apparent-spearhead Adolfo Alcocer runs 17 strong, this is still a quarantine-era project, and something that probably wouldn’t have come about in this way if there had never been a pandemic lockdown to force the hand of creativity in such a way. I’m not saying the pandemic’s effect on 2020 was a good thing, just that the concept and execution of Mondo Infiel and the resulting Poliedros LP stand as another example of the persistence of art, such that even in enforced isolation, one can and will still find a way to reach out and speak creatively through collaboration. Do you understand how fucking beautiful that is? I hope so.

I don’t have a release date on the record, but I’ll hope to have more on it before it’s out. Spinda Records is standing behind the release, as one would hope.

Here’s the lineup:

Mondo Infiel – Poliedros

Happy to announce the line-up of MONDO INFIEL’s debut album. Adolfo Alcocer (Electric Riders, Pow Pows) is surrounded by a network of luxury collaborators, including members of Electric Riders, Arenna, Atavismo, Híbrido, The Soulbreaker Company, The Black Crowes, Por Pow Pows, Viaje a 800, R.O.L.F., Earthless, Medicina and some special guests.

Ander Cisneros
Andoni Ortiz
Andrés Tomás Rodriguez
Arrate Morales
Curro Ureba
Guille Colás
Illán Arribas
Isaiah Mitchell
Javier Barbería
Javier Indurain
Joaquin Uriol
Jose Angel Galindo
Matthew Perez
Look Martirena
Jose “Pot” Moreno
Sandra “Pow” Hidalgo
Txus

More fresh news coming soon…

https://www.facebook.com/mondoinfiel
https://mondoinfiel.bandcamp.com/
http://www.spindarecords.com/
https://spindarecords.bandcamp.com/

[Click play above to stream Kabbalah’s The Omen in its entirety. Album is out Jan. 15 on Rebel Waves Records.]

Though they’ve been brewing potent etherealities in the Kingdom of Navarre for the better part of a decade, it was not until 2017 that Spanish trio Kabbalah made their full-length debut with Spectral Ascent. That album, released through Twin Earth Records, solidified the first-name-only — Alba on vocals and guitar, Marga on bass, Carmen on drums — three-piece’s approach around classic proto-heavy and cult rock, not quite bent as closely to pop as Ghost, but ready and able with a waiting supply of hooks for those willing to be indoctrinated. The Omen is the follow-up. Its eight tracks arrive through Ripple imprint Rebel Waves Records without pretense — which is no small feat considering the inherent theatricality of the witchy, be-robbed aesthetic — and run a tight-knit 29 minutes, showcasing growth in melody and construction generally while digging further into a classic-minded near-doom style of heavy rock, most typified by the ’70s tapes of Pentagram but by no means exclusive to that or strictly vintage in sound.

Unlike the first LP, there is no intro on The Omen, which begins with the creeper riff of your fuzzy Halloween daydreams, set to an immediately accessible pace that tells you plenty but still only a piece of what you need to know about the record that ensues. At 3:57, lead cut “Stigmatized” is second in length only to closer “Liturgy,” which is the only song here over four minutes long. Kabbalah are traditionalists in structure, and though their cultish take draws on the heavy ’70s as it almost invariably would, their tones are not purely vintage and particularly the manner in which vocal melodies/harmonies are layered is a giveaway of their modernity. Not that they’re trying to hide it. Rather, these melodies, beginning in “Stigmatized” but perhaps even more so in the catchier second track “Ceibas,” become a crucial aspect of the band’s approach. I don’t know if it’s only Alba singing or if Marga or Carmen add their voices, but as The Omen begins to unfold, the vocals help set the atmosphere no less than any of the other instruments being played, even the church organ that takes hold as the first track fades out ahead of the grungy-strummed start of the second.

So if the first song establishes the mood and the second reaffirms the trio’s penchant for hookmaking, its chanting final chorus likewise peppered with organ lines and vocal bounce, then the subsequent “Night Comes Near” brings a greater sense of complexity in progression and arrangement, vocal parts woven over each other in a pace that’s deceptive only for how unhurried it actually is while sounding more intense and busier than the previous two songs. As side A finishes with “The Ritual,” the fuzz thickens, the bell ride tolls your march, and the flow resimplifies without giving up the impression of a proggy undertone. The guitar solo is short but effective and sets a bed for the vocals to rejoin the apex of the song in a chorus return, bringing to light the sheer efficiency of Kabbalah‘s work here. It’s not that they’re restrained in some way, just that they’ve come to a place of knowing what they want these songs to do — or sounding that way, anyhow — and making them do that. Lessons understood from prior experience; this is why it can take a band five years to put out a debut album and several more for a follow-up. Because there’s genuine growth taking place.

“Lamentations” begins side B with the bulk of its first minute dedicated to a gradually unfolding riff, but when the drums kick in, they’re double-timed on the hi-hat to bring some feeling of urgency, even if the following first verse oozes out smoothly in dynamic, harmonized fashion. A play on structure, “Lamentations” doesn’t have a chorus as such, but it accomplishes what it sets out to do in leading off the second half of the record with a purpose that mirrors that of “Stigmatized” at the outset. It’s not quite Kabbalah looking to knock their listener off balance — which they never really do — but hinting that the whole story of The Omen hasn’t yet been told. Distant echoes in the verses “Labyrinth” and a more forward chorus would seem to confirm this, making the track a highlight in the process as it willfully marches into highlight bass tone at its pulled-apart finish. Feedback. Darker atmospherics. Still, Kabbalah aren’t offering any drama that feels unearned by the music itself, and in traditional LP form, the penultimate “Duna” returns the album to ground ahead of the aforementioned finale in “Liturgy.”

In another context one might call “Duna” a kind of heavy post-rock, but after its first minute, a weightier riff serves as a kind of instrumental chorus and offsets the garage doom of the verse before they make the interesting turn of finishing the track without a final return to that same verse. It’s too short to really be a jam, but Alba‘s guitar is tasked with leading the outward movement of “Duna,” which it does ably, bringing the song to a close ahead of the actual march rhythm that begins “Liturgy” and the guitar, bass and drums soon join. More spacious in the guitar and vocals initially, “Liturgy” does have a kind of chanting verse, but it never quite gives up that beginning rhythm, which of course doubles as an ending for the record after the closing solo finishes. Even there, Kabbalah‘s melodic intent holds firm and is the essential component.

It’s not, however, the only one to which due attention has been paid, and the recording — the production style — of The Omen helps too in bringing a vitality that underscores the songwriting shown throughout. Kabbalah emerge somewhat out of place and out of time, but no more than they would seem to want to be, and there is no point at which their devotionalism overwhelms their craft. A burgeoning individuality holds further promise for growth, but one would be remiss not to note the confidence and righteous poise with which this material is — still organically — delivered.

Kabbalah, “Ceibas” official video

Kabbalah on Facebook

Kabbalah on Instagram

Kabbalah on Bandcamp

Rebel Waves Records on Facebook

Rebel Waves Records BigCartel store

Rebel Waves Records on Bandcamp

Because of general cultural ignorance on my part, I had to look up what a ‘ceiba’ is. If you’re curious, it’s a species of tree considered sacred by some in Mayan culture — a kind of tree of life, but one connected to the underworld. If you’re thinking Yggdrasil from Norse mythology, you’re not too far off-base, but ceiba-as-world-tree is older by a couple millennia. That’s what I learned on the internet today. Well that and some stuff about Star Trek, anyhow. Alright.

Kabbalah‘s new record runs as a taut 29-minute/eight-song cultish mass, thoroughly modern in melody and tonal presence, but given an edge of folkanalia just the same. Its longest song is closer “Liturgy” at 4:14 and at no point does The Omen waste the band’s time or the listener’s. If you can’t appreciate that, surely the uptempo push of “Ceibas” or the animated day-in-the-life-of-Death video that accompanies its unveiling will hook you. If not, well, thanks for reading anyhow.

For everyone else, album preorders are up for The Omen ahead of a Jan. 15 release.

Plant a tree:

Occult rock trio KABBALAH to release new album ‘The Omen’ on January 15th via Rebel Waves Records; watch spooky animated video “Ceibas” now!

Pamplona-based occult rockers KABBALAH unveil all details about their sophomore album ‘The Omen’, to be released on January 15th, 2021 through Rebel Waves Records. On this occasion, the trio debuts their ritualistic and colorful “Ceibas” video.

“Ceibas is about how evil and destructive human behavior is to the Earth, and the video walks you through the song and the lyrics wonderfully” describes the band.

Hailing from Pamplona in the north of Spain, KABBALAH was formed on the ashes of local outfit Las Culebras, looming in the dark, esoteric realms of witchcraft and closed door arts. The trio started a prolific cycle of music by self-releasing three EPs (‘Kabbalah’, ‘Primitive Stone’ and ‘Revelations’) between 2013 and 2016, progressing to their 2017 debut album ‘Spectral Ascent’. With their garage-sounding, 70s-style hard rock and Coven–inspired occult atmospheres draped over the bones of Black Sabbath and Blue Öyster Cult, the Spanish power trio has been well received among followers of the darkest sounds.

On new album ‘The Omen’, KABBALAH affirm this unique way of theirs to turn their 70s rock influences into a craft of their own: while the guitar and bass twirl around like on a haunted carousel, the trio sprinkles all eight tracks with a subtle Spanish folk and western vibe while keeping the heaviness intact. An unwaveringly creative, enigmatic and spellbinding album that has chances to quickly enter your 2021 favorites list!

‘The Omen’ is out on January 15th, 2021 on Rebel Waves Records and available to preorder as:
– LTD edition vinyl pressed on bone colored vinyl with gold and black splatter
– Black vinyl
– LTD edition digipack
– Digital

KABBALAH New album “The Omen”
Out January 15th, 2021 on Rebel Waves Records
PREORDER NOW

TRACK LISTING:
1. Stigmatized
2. Ceibas
3. Night Comes Near
4. The Ritual
5. Lamentations
6. Labyrinth
7. Duna
8. Liturgy

In the winter of 2021, KABBALAH are coming back to life with their sophomore full-length ‘The Omen’, an occult rock grimoire where sticky melodies, funerary riffs and liturgy vocals come together as an impressive and infectious breed of 70s heavy, doom and psych. It will be released through US independent label REBEL WAVES RECORDS, Ripple Music’s imprint for all things psychedelic, alt-rock, pop, post-punk and garage. Keep your eyes peeled for more info about ‘The Omen’ will come your way soon!

KABBALAH is:
Carmen Espejo — Drums/vocals
Marga Malaria — Bass/vocals
Alba DDU — guitar/vocals

https://www.facebook.com/Kabbalahrock
https://www.instagram.com/kabbalahband/
https://kabbalahrock.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Rebelwavesrecords/
http://www.rebelwavesrecords.bigcartel.com/
https://rebelwavesrecords.bandcamp.com/

Kabbalah, “Ceibas” official video

Three years ago, Spanish trio Kabbalah made their full-length debut with Spectral Ascent (discussed here) through Twin Earth Records (also Hellas Records on tape), and as that kind of thing will, it piqued my interest because I’m well aware of the label’s particular affinity for melody and tone. As it turned out, the three-piece offered plenty of both in a cultish aesthetic they’ll now port over to Ripple Music imprint Rebel Waves Records with their second long-player, The Omen, due out next year.

If you’re the type who notices such things, you might key in on the point that the garage/psych-focused Rebel Waves was formerly known as Rogue Wave. I’m not sure what prompted the rebrand — too close to Rogue One? — but either way the label brings Kabbalah into the company of Las Robertas, Sacred Shrines and Arcadian Child as the imprint builds its stable of acts. As you might guess, Kabbalah are the darkest of the bunch to-date.

The announcement came down the PR wire:

Spanish occult rock trio KABBALAH signs to Rebel Waves Records for new album release in early 2021.

Rebel Waves Records announce the signing of Pamplona-based occult 70s and garage rockers KABBALAH to their roster. The trio will release their new album ‘The Omen’ in early 2021, with more details to be revealed soon!

Hailing from from Pamplona in the north of Spain, KABBALAH was formed on the ashes of local outfit Las Culebras, looming in the dark, esoteric realms of witchcraft and closed door arts. The trio started a prolific cycle of music by self-releasing three EPs (‘Kabbalah’, ‘Primitive Stone’ and ‘Revelations’) between 2013 and 2016, progressing to their 2017 debut album ‘Spectral Ascent’. With their garage-sounding, 70s-style hard rock and Coven–inspired occult atmospheres draped over the bones of Black Sabbath and Blue Öyster Cult, the Spanish power trio has been well received among followers of the darkest sounds.

In early 2021, KABBALAH will come back to life with their sophomore full-length ‘The Omen’, an occult rock grimoire where sticky melodies, funerary riffs and liturgy vocals come together as an impressive and infectious breed of 70s heavy, doom and psych. It will be released through US independent label REBEL WAVES RECORDS, Ripple Music’s imprint for all things psychedelic, alt-rock, pop, post-punk and garage. Keep your eyes peeled for more info about ‘The Omen’ will come your way soon!

Kabbalah is:
Carmen (drums)
Marga (bass)
Alba (guitar)

https://www.facebook.com/Kabbalahrock
https://www.instagram.com/kabbalahband/
https://kabbalahrock.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Rebelwavesrecords/
http://www.rebelwavesrecords.bigcartel.com/
https://rebelwavesrecords.bandcamp.com/

Kabbalah, “Abomination”

Spanish garage cultists Kabbalah have newly issued their full-length debut, Spectral Ascent, via respected tone-worshiping purveyor Twin Earth Records. If you want to look at the release via a telling statistic, it’s worth noting that three of the nine component tracks contain some version of the word “dark.” Those songs, “The Darkest End,” “The Darkness of Time” and “Dark Revelation” — one might but won’t count the penultimate “The Shadow” in with the bunch as well — only serve to emphasize the thematic point that the album as a whole is making in its organic semi-psych-but-still-clearly-structured atmosphere, given to flashes of post-Uncle Acid/Ghost horror-infused melody (looking at you, “The Darkest End”) but carrying a formative identity from its titular intro through the shuffling finale “Presence.”

“The Reverend,” for which Kabbalah have a new video posted below, is the centerpiece of Spectral Ascent, and it rightly earns its place on the altar with ringing guitar from Alba, a steady and tense low end courtesy of bassist Marga and the crisp punctuation of drummer Carmen‘s snare. Like much of the record that surrounds, its hook does a lot of the work in carrying over the desired vibe, but a little double-kick from Carmen and added flourish of theremin (or a synthesized approximation thereof) lends even more classic-style weirdness to the proceedings as the Pamplona trio move through the sharply executed three-minute push en route to the boogie of the subsequent “The Darkness of Time” and continue Spectral Ascent‘s cohesive, catchy and modern take on raw heavy rock.

The clip is basically an amalgam of garnered footage from horror movies, but it gets the point of the song across one way or the other. Spectral Ascent can be streamed now in its entirety (I’ve included the Bandcamp player at the bottom of this post) and Twin Earth has vinyl available to preorder ahead of an Oct. 1 ship date. Those details follow, courtesy of the PR wire, but of course, first comes the video.

Enjoy:

Kabbalah, “The Reverend” official video

Spanish occult doom metal band KABBALAH are pleased to announce that their new album Spectral Ascent is now available via Twin Earth Records. The album is a blend of occult rock, doom and psychedelic.

Buy the album here: https://kabbalahrock.bandcamp.com/album/spectral-ascent

Pre-order the vinyl edition here: http://twinearthrecords.storenvy.com/products/20518964-kabbalah-spectral-ascent-limited-edition-clear-transparent-vinyl-lp-pre-o

Kabbalah is:
Carmen (drums)
Marga (bass)
Alba (guitar)

Kabbalah, Spectral Ascent (2017)

Kabbalah on Thee Facebooks

Kabbalah on Bandcamp

Twin Earth Records on Thee Facebooks

Twin Earth Records website