Black Acid - Flores Para Los Muertos (1994) / 86%

90s Viennese gem

The sole album by these fellows from Vienna really really impressed the hell out of me and I'm grateful to my fellow moderator friend Azmodes for the discovery. Heavy metal was basically relegated to the abyss during the mid 90s (the grand era of extreme and nu-metal) but this is really hard to pinpoint or place into a rigid genre so I'll try to describe them correctly.

The first impressive aspect of Black Acid is the voice of Claudia Jusits. Her approach is varied but always charismatic, from lovely AOR inspired vox (“Burning With A Hard Flame”) and a wide variety of other types including some harsher moments (“Law of Residence”, “Snake Bite Lady”). She's highly theatrical without being unnecessarily operatic (a common and regrettable thing in nowadays female fronted metal). Nevertheless, I do prefer when she's using her clean vocals without any frills though, some of the experimentation was somewhat unnecessary and almost grating.

This totally fits the excellent versatile record, calling them “heavy metal” is certainly a stretch since there's so many stuff thrown in there. From progressive metal (these guitar leads are atmospherically complex and super interesting) to a sort of primal thrashy metal (using the aforementioned harsh vocals) to a sort of avant garde tinged epic metal. It almost sounds like Accept trying to be Seventh Son of a Seventh Son era Maiden with hints of Fates Warning, Faith No More and early 90s groove, thrash & death metal. The contemporary American band Christian Mistress definitely evolves (relatively) in the same niche as their sound is pretty unorthodox and their influences not automatically discernable

It would be a missed opportunity not to mention the classic female fronted Belgian band Acid in this review as they share some similar aesthetics but the Austrian is a darker and weirder version. It's there in the musicianship too from the strangely epic “The Dragonslayer” and its acoustic guitar breaks to some of the strange combinations of genres mentioned earlier. If you're feeling adventurous and want some sort of strange milk in your heavy metal coffee, Black Acid is a good bet. It hasn't aged that wonderfully but it's still quite rewarding in its own way.

Xothogua – you wont reach shore (2013) / 75%

Canadian doom tape triptych part 3 : Montréal, QC

Xothogua were a pretty secretive Montréal band who broke up last year. I had the chance to see them two or three times including a very cool evening with Ensorcelor and Show of Bedlam (they shared the bassist at the time) where I got a tape of this recording. Their sound is quite original and I was sad to hear that the band ended before exploring it in more details.

The half hour release is divided between two fifteen minutes movements, both encompassing their multifaceted style mixing stoner metal, sludge, doom metal, crust, hardcore and post rock (???). It's highly atmospheric and features a wide variety of vocal styles. The ones of Devo, a woman, are full of spite and venom when she screams and she's also using clean vox (especially on “Washer at the Ford”) but there's also some male vocals here and there to emphasise certain moments. The calm, atmospheric parts are well done and quite introspective, it's a good representation of how their live performances were. It's loud, massive and doesn't mess around. It has the right amount of heavier parts intertwined with calm but still oppressing bits.

The production isn't quite good but it's nuanced and airy enough to fit their songs and give them a live feeling. It would had been cool to hear something done with a bit more cash thrown into it but it didn't seem like their thing anyway. Their sole full length is amateurish but that's not always a bad thing, it's interesting and has this crossover appeal between metal and hardcore. It's free (or pay what you can) on Bandcamp so support a dead band!

Xothogua on Bandcamp

The artwork is also pretty glorious!

Strange Broue – Strange Broue (2015) / 84%

Canadian doom tape triptych part 2 : Québec City, QC

This self titled compilation (released on my birthday last year!) contains most of what the one man band released in about two years since the creation of the project in 2014 and it's pretty impressive. The tape (with its sides titled “yes” and “no”) features ten songs and a bit less than an hour of music. It's also genre that's been lacking in the Québec metal scene for a while: thunderous doom/stoner. Sure, we have Dopethrone but they're more sludge than anything else so it feels good to have something like this.

Even if it's different tracks coming from distinct extended plays and singles, the production is pretty even and quite apt. It's a good mix of self produced lo-fi garage and total professionalism, the bass is thick and its loud presence is justifiable and enjoyable, the guitars are also really damn solid. This kind of production really shows how good modern technology is as this was recorded in a home studio and sounds really damn good. The sound is thick but still nuanced enough to appreciate the music. Nonetheless, the quality of the riffs are the main appeal of doom for me and it's truly there. The heavy guitars are making the Saint-Lawrence river agitated and it's waking up the corpses laying in the earth beneath the Plains of Abraham. The riffs are precise but still possess this jam-like ability and this skill is combined to fun bluesy soloing akin to trad underrated doomsters Blood Farmers and Ogre.

Even if the project is still relatively young, the direction and identity of the band is clear enough and he knows where he's going. There's even a lot of variety, ranging from acoustic tracks recalling the mellow identity of Black Sabbath (the wonderful “The Captor” and “The Beast”), some spacey psychedelic moments, a good mix of faster pummeling moments and some slower introspection.

I also really liked the sporadic use of samples (from the famous Rob Ford line “Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine” to lines fro Dawn of the Dead, it adds something cool to the fold and works well with the fun & spooky aura the band is showing. Despite the amusing kool aid references, the music remains serious and thoroughly well written. The only negative thing I thought of are the vocals, I'm not a big fan of the Jus Oborn school and akin to Electric Wizard, the voice in Strange Broue is buried underneath layers of doom. I personally prefer different approaches but this fits the music like a glove so it's not a big deal. Doom works well within these DIY confines, the vision is clear and everything (from the artwork to the production and the music) is made by one super talented individual. If you're into doom/stoner and haven't heard this yet, it's time to check it out.

Strange Broue on Bandcamp

Sea Witch - The Blackened Sea (2015) / 76%

Canadian doom tape triptych part 1 : Dartmouth, NS

I haven't heard the first two demos of this Nova Scotian duo but from I understand, they were sludgier or more rooted in black metal than this debut full length. Totally instrumental, this six songs tape (or digital) record bears its name extremely well, you'll drown in their deep shadowy currents (as shown by the classic Doré painting chosen to illustrate their music) and wake up as a corpse on a cold dark beach.

It's a pretty lo-fi affair but there's the maximum quantity of emotions that a two piece can produce, it's moving, deep and really feels like an oceanic voyage on the Atlantic ocean. There's a lot of atmospheric tremolo guitar moments mixed with a vivid sludgey funeral doom sound recalling the early days of Germany's slow titan, Ahab. There's also some stoner moments demonstrated by a huge guitar tone like in “Tempest”. Their songs, like falling inside the Mariana trench, are quite long (especially side A with two fourteen minutes tracks) and the album doesn't feel like it's too long even if it does get a bit redundant. It also gets old after three or four spins, I was very impressed when I first heard it though but it's just not totally memorable yet. There's something that it's still lacking, perhaps it's the lack of vocals, perhaps it's something else that I have yet to identify. I really liked everything but I know they could deliver something even more epic.

Nevertheless, this is a strong debut album with a well developed and established “nautical doom” approach (as the band mentioned on their Facebook page) and it's highly recommended for fans of introspective doom with many twists and waves. I need to check out their latest split with American black metallers Ecferus now to see how they're progressing but I need some towels and a bowl of hot soup before.

Sea Witch on Bandcamp

Elfspell – The River Giant Rises (2016) / 85%

Take up your axe, take up your sword!

John Gallo is perhaps the most talented and underrated doom musician in the United States these days. After the classic Orodruin album Epicurean Mass and his more recent experimentations with Blizaro and John Gallow, he's back with a full new band to deliver something different and quite interesting.

The River Giant Rises is the second demo of this band from Rochester and shows a more primitive, visceral and downright epic take on doom metal and heavy metal compared to 2014's Paul Chain influenced Violet Dreams, an overtly complex and cerebral piece of doom. Elfspell is still rich and technically but explores proto extreme metal and epic metal in a completely distinctive take. I always like the lo-fi approach in traditional metal such as the charmant dorkiness of New York's Realmbuilder or the heavy/black metal of Toronto's Demontage and this band has the same philosophy.

Within the three extended numbers (all around seven minutes), we're able to find raw epic doom mixed with a lot of other stuff (this black metal break in the title track is lovely) and illustrated by a geeky and fun drawing of a big ass dragon and a logo similar to what old school death metal or symphonic black metal are known to used!

The production is raw for this kind of music but it fits the persona of Elfspell. This is real Dungeon & Dragons metal unlike overblown shit like Rhapsody of Fire. The dual guitars play these intricate riffs but the whole thing in rooted in a sort of twisted world where the biggest bands in the world are Mortuary Drape, Candlemass, Pagan Altar and Manilla Road. The vocals of Ron Blackwell (Crucifist, Nokturnal Hellstorm) are manly, deep cleans and they're really fun. There's also an amusing folk metal influence, especially on “Jar'Al's Lament”. The closing track of this demo has this medieval feel not too different from what Skyclad were doing.

I'm excited to hear what this band can do in the future, I'm sure their debut full length will blow me away. Those twenty minutes made me a fan.

Elfspell on Bandcamp

Best Albums of 2015

* = album reviewed, click the link

Top 10

1) Leeches of Lore – Motel of Infinity* review

Another magical album by the New Mexico trio, it's totally bonkers in the best way possible.

2) Cave of Swimmers – Reflection* review

Super epic heavy/doom/hard rock/prog metal with some latin beats and superb vocals, a great surprise for 2015.

3) Acolytes of Moros – Herald of the Imminent* review

Swedish trad doom of the highest caliber, I don't understand how these guys aren't signed yet.

4) Baroness – Purple* review
I liked Yellow & Green but this new album is much better, it's the bridge between Blue and Y&G and sees the band as its most condensed and feelsy incarnation yet. Marvelous record.

5) Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear

Superb pop with really great lyrics, Josh Tillman is a genius

6) Thy Catafalque - Sgùrr

Everything that this band has released so far has been groundbreaking and this album is no exception. Perhaps not as good as Róka Hasa Rádió, this new album is still superb

7) Magister Templi – Into Duat* review
Masterful heavy/doom from Norway about Egyptian mythology, it's epic as hell but contained within solid, catchy relatively short tracks.

8) High Inquisitor Woe – Liquid Times
Super great belgian trad doom with psychedelic touches, impressive for a first release. 3 songs = 40 minutes!

9) Enslaved – In Times
Another great album from the Norwegian legends, more cohesive and better overall than RITTIR.

10) Mgla – Exercises in Futility

Just the best black metal band nowadays, top notch riffs and atmosphere. EIF is less catchy than WHTN but it's more cohesive and it's better overall if this is even possible.

Almost in the top 10

Tau Cross
A super group with Amebix and Voivod members, this is an intricate piece of proggy metal with a lot of different influences.

Macabre Omen – Gods of War – At War

Outstanding Bathory-esque Greek black metal, can't get more epic than these guys.

Magic Circle – Journey's Blind

Their debut album was certainly on my best of list of 2013 and this one almost made the top 10 this year due mostly to the the title track. The rest of the album is good but I prefer when they're slower and doomier and this album is quite fast and the NWOBHM influence is bigger. Still a solid record though.

Night Viper
Truly outstanding debut album from these Swedes, it's fun NWOBHMish heavy metal with powerful female vocals and awesome riffs. Might be top 10

Starlight Ritual* review

For a debut album, these Quebecois really managed to release very cool epic heavy/doom with some slight prog tendencies. The vocals are similar to Dio and the guys really dig their Rainbow. I can't wait to see them again with Cauchemar and Magic Circle.

Remmirath - Shambhala Vril Saucers* review
Super original and twisted avant garde black metal with Tibetan, psychedelic and even video game music influences.

Batushka - Litourgiya
Only beaten by Mgla for black metal in 2015, this Polish band's debut album is so epic it hurts.

Some other outstanding albums *no particular order*

Pohjoinen* review

Ares Kingdom – The Unburiable Dead

Garden of Worm – Idle Stones* reviewMarie-Pierre Arthur – Si l'aurore

Beach House – Depression Cherry

Corridor – Le voyage éternel

Deafheaven – New Bermuda* review
Jean Leloup – À Paradis City

Obsequiae – Aria of Vernal Tombs

Bell Witch – Four Phantoms

Iron Void – Doomsday

Crypt Sermon - Out of the Gardens* review
Pendulous - A Palpable Sense of Love & Loss* review

Abyss - Heretical Anatomy* review
The Sword - High Country* review
Wolfshead - Caput Lupinum*

Wreckmeister – Night of your ascension

Sarpanitum – Blessed be my Brothers
Gold – No Image
Reverie - Bliss* review

Cult Leader – Lightless Walk

Bosse-de-Nage – All Fours

Disappointments of the year:
Iron Maiden - The Book of Souls* review
Just.too.long.with.too.much.filler.

Tribulation - The Children of the Night 
While a good album, it's not as rich as Formulas and it's a more streamlined and accessible release.

Local Sounds: Volume 5.0 - Poulet Neige 2015 Special

Poulet Neige is an awesome website that gives you a bunch of free (or pay what you can) albums from Quebec and Canadian bands for Christmas. It's unfortunately over for this year but be sure to keep in touch with them and register for the future edition. I got many albums thanks to this initiative and I've picked 4 of 'em for this volume. These bands all evolve in similar genres, blending indie, alternative, psychedelic rock and progressive rock together and they're all from the province of Québec and the Montréal area. 

Poulet Neige on Facebook

Uubbuurruu – Swamp Ritual (2015)

The debut EP by this Montréal quintet is quite cool. Due to the demented purple artwork, I was expeting some hard and heavy stoner metal but it's way more subdued than that. Dwelving into psychedelic rock, stoner rock, shoegaze and even blues rock, the band is definitely influenced by the excellent and popular british band Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats. They have the same sort of buried Beatles-esque vocals and super fuzzy riffs. While not totally metal, they deliver heavy tunes like the speedy “I Don't Mind” or the super psychedelic closer “Radio Waves”. With the track “Dear God”, they proved that they're also capable of writing excellent ethereal blues/folk as this song sounds like a mix of Dylan and My Bloody Valentine. Highly recommended extended play, the future is bright for these guys, you should learn how to pronounce and spell their name already.

Uubbuurruu on Bandcamp

Richelieu – Richelieu (2015)

The trio from Montréal released their debut full length this summer and while I totally love their musical abilities and the music created here, the vocals and lyrics weren't totally convincing. They're influenced by the old prog rock of Québec (see Harmonium or Octobre) but they also combine this with a singer songwriter approach and some indie leanings. I thought it was a bit kitsch but frankly it's hard to make the French language work in a rock setting, I can count on my two hands the artists I really like that use my mother tongue successfully (Alain Bashung being one of them).

It's a varied album, from rougher moments like “D'la scrap” and its garage rock feel to the soothing “Repos”. I think Richelieu is at their best when they're instrumentally minded and unleash their true prog rock side like on the Gentle Giant-esque instrumental track “Dernier tableau” where the guitarist David Chassé truly shines. The synths an mellotrons are sounding good and can recall Supertramp at times, it's a good album but there's some aspects I like more than others and I'd like to see some more of those proggy harsher explorations instead of pop songs but that's just me.

Richelieu on Bandcamp

Corridor – Le voyage éternel (2015)

After the excellent EP, “Un magicien en toi” released in 2013, Corridor released “Le voyage éternel”, their debut album, back in May. They play a vivid genre mixing jangle pop, psych/progressive rock and indie and it's super good! There's a lot of reverb in the vocals, a bit like Malajube used to do, this is one tactic to make French lyrics work in a rock environment, a recurring problem I've mentioned in the previous review. The highly layered vocals are creating a smooth and the duel guitars are often loud, juggling atmospheric riffs and cool bass licks. The musicianship is impressive but they keep things subtle, that's something that one of their main influence (R.E.M.) always did as well.

In the end, the songwriting is what matters the most and they truly deliver the goods. Corridor writes short song (for a psych/prog band...) but their compositions are rich, dense and rewarding. They convinced me with their unorthodox riffs by mixing a strange psych approach and an endearing romantic side. One of the best québécois albums of the year and it's much better than the last album by Tame Impala!

Corridor on Bandcamp

Renard Blanc – Empire Onirique (2015)

After Karkwa's impact on the Quebec music scene, it was logical to see bands follow their paths. Renard Blanc (white fox) is one of them. Hugely influenced by Radiohead's early stuff, the ten songs of this debut album are atmospheric proggy rock with layers upon layers of sounds. I really like the “La guerre des tuques” (a cult children movie) in “Doucement”, it was an original choice!

While it's usually a dark or introspective genre, this trio (with the help of a session keyboardist) are keeping things rooted in positivism but without being cheesy, overly sunny or saccharine. Their explorations are calm, often instrumental with interesting percussion and the Thom Yorke inspired vocals of guitarist Vincent Lepage. Certainly recommended for fans well written soothing alt rock.

Renard Blanc on Bandcamp

Corridor and Renard Blanc are playing with the excellent Ponctuation (another band I recently got into) in two weeks, I'll try to be there! Event: @Divan Orange

Stay tuned for a sixth volume of Local Sounds in the upcoming weeks.