Showing posts with label Crown And Throne Ltd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crown And Throne Ltd. Show all posts

Tuesday, 25 June 2019

Primitive Man - Steel Casket


Labels: Crown & Throne Ltd/Tartarus Records
Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital
Release Date: 07 Jun 2019

Tracklist:

1. Fear
2. A Life of Turmoil

Sludge and doom metal makes up a pretty large swathe of my own record collection. With the likes of Moloch (UK), Meth Drinker (RIP) and Colorado (USA) juggernaut Primitive Man taking pride of place on my shelves. PM has always been one of the most caustic (no pun intended) and this EP, which was originally self-released by the band in 2017 has been re-released by Crown & Throne Ltd and Tartarus Records. In fact both labels released "Steel Casket" on tape last year and have only just recently committed it to vinyl. Featuring more noise/ambient elements, this isn't an easy listen.

Europe’s about to head into a heatwave that’s going to spread to the UK (Including North Yorkshire too) so it feels only right to listen to something truly oppressive to prepare yourself. The aptly named Fear is what greets you first on “Steel Casket” and it’s the haunting ambience and instrumentation that slowly takes hold. Quiet and meditative are not words you’d usually associate with PM but so far that’s what you get, though it’s obvious that something else is waiting around the corner. The noise is hypnotic as it progresses past the ten-minute mark. Fear gets no less disturbing beyond that point, with what sounds like flies buzzing around your ears and white-noise rumbling in the background, To be honest at this point it’s scarier than when PM are at full pelt. The recording that’s been achieved also adds to that notion, because it’s allowed PM’s sound to come alive even more-so than usual. Fear ends with doom funnelled through the most uneasy noise imaginable and its worth the wait if you’ve made it this far.

With your skin still crawling and with vivid images of being buried alive, A Life Of Turmoil offers no solace. Despite that bleak summary of initial thoughts, its an easier listen to being with. There’s a twisted Spaghetti-Western feel to proceedings and beyond that it’s harder to describe, because for those expecting the continuation of the noise-filled doom that ended Fear, A Life Of Turmoil threatens it and gets agonisingly close to it towards the end, but never quite delivers it. “Steel Casket” is billed as a companion release to that of 2013 demo “P//M” and it’s certainly true to that. The body of work that Primitive Man has given birth to over the years in undisputed. If you’re looking for their riff-filled sludge then look elsewhere, but if you’re open to the otherworldly noises that they create then this will sit well with you. A journey is one to describe it, but a nightmare might be more poignant.

You can stream "Steel Casket" and purchase it digitally direct from Primitive Man here:-




Physical copies can be purchased below:-


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Tuesday, 9 January 2018

Hexis - XII


Labels: Crown And Throne Ltd/Moment Of Collapse/Division Records/Truthseeker Music
Formats: LP/CD/Digital
Release Date: 30th Sep 2017

Tracklist:

1. Derelictus
2. Nefarius
3. Famelicus
4. Miseria
5. Sacrificium

You often hear mainstream pop/rock acts saying they're the "hardest working" bands around. Most of those bands are pampered though and driven around in big tour buses. Hexis is the complete opposite, with their DIY approach and lust for constant touring, which saw them play 195 shows over the course of 2017 in Asia, the Middle East, Europe & the USA. They also found time to release their most recent full-length "Tando Ashanti" and this EP "XII", all but six months apart. I'm a little late with this, but it's definitely still hot!

Hexis is most definitely one of those bands whose recorded output more than matches their live performances (minus the strobe light though!). “XII” begins with the raging, blackened spectacle that is Derelictus. It’s feels like a precursor for the uninitiated, as the band’s careening percussion, riffs and vocals open up with a near sixty-second blast. Their music is more than just power and fury though and they weave atmosphere into every bar, which is why it’s such a captivating experience seeing them in a live setting. 

Nefarius is the closest that Hexis has ever got to black metal and it’s part of a trend (if I can call it that) that European bands are grabbing and running with at the moment. Black metal seems to be a more prominent fixture on “XII” amongst the band’s grinding, hardcore noise. Famelicus gives you subtle yet menacing melody that’s buried within the music, complimenting the mid-range shrieks and feedback that envelopes it. The cymbal crashes are also a constant and remind you of the band’s metallic nature. 

Talking of feedback, the huge swathe that greets you on Miseria is both harrowing and hypnotising at the same time. The urgency that Hexis attacks the song with is reminiscent of the aforementioned strobe light and there’s no way to hide from it. It definitely helps to banish the memory of a shitty working day. Closing song Sacrificium reminds of the crusty goodness of Totem Skin (RIP) and thus is already a winner. The lengthy instrumental passage at it’s beginning is a thing of beauty, lasting nearly two minutes. There’s something life affirming about it as Hexis passes over to their flailing finale. The whole song is violent and exhausting but you won’t want it to end. 

There’s no much else left to say really. Just jam this glorious wall of noise and prepare yourself for their next raid on the UK (whenever that is). 

Stream "XII" and get it as a name-your-price-download here:-




Physical copies can be purchased from the labels below:-

Moment Of Collapse Records - http://records.kollektif.eu

Moment Of Collapse Records - https://www.facebook.com/momentofcollapse/
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