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Eye

Dark Light

    EYE – the new band from Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard (MWWB) singer-songwriter/musician Jessica Ball – has announced the arrival of their eagerly awaited debut album, 'Dark Light’.

    "These songs have been many years in the making... Some of these ideas were crafted before MWWB, this is something I've always wanted to do. Over the last couple of years, I’ve spent some time on finishing and crafting these ideas and pieces of music into songs. Some were snippets of lyrics from my early twenties which reflect on what seems like a different person. I think it’s quite poetic how it’s all come together now.

    I was also encouraged after finding musicians who understood the vision and style I was trying to achieve, and of course my experience of being in MWWB. I’m a guitarist above all, and I loved reconnecting with guitar again. It feels like all my influences and favourite styles have come together in this album. Shoegaze, doom, folk, dream pop... It’s a real mix bag but as a whole, it represents many different stages of my life and tells a story.

    The album ultimately is quite introspective yet lyrically loose enough to be open to interpretation – I’ve always been a fan of songs that seem to perfectly slot into the situation I’m experiencing and not too specific to one person's experience... I think that comes across in this album.”

    Jessica relocated from Wrexham to join her new partner, veteran Welsh musician Gid Goundrey (Gulp, Ghostlawns, Martin Carr), in Cardiff just as the pandemic era dawned. Confined to their small Grangetown flat, they quite naturally began making music together.

    Having earned acclaim and a fervent fan following for her role in MWWB, Ball took the opportunity to compose songs that were all her own – nuanced, lyrical, and hypnotically distinctive.

    Triggered in part by the existential dread looming outside as well as the sudden ill health of her dear friend, MWWB guitarist Paul “Dave” Davies, then fighting for life after a Covid-related stroke.

    With Goundrey on drums (for the first time in his musical career) and joined by keyboardist Johnny TK, Eye experimented with sounds to match Ball’s melodic songs, traversing a diverse spectrum of dark folk, dreampop, IDM and psychedelic doom, to create sometimes heavy and foreboding drones, alongside spare but still richly textured sonics.

    The result is their debut album ‘Dark Light’. An intensely atmospheric fusion of emotionally charged songcraft and inspired sonic energy. The clue is in the album's paradoxical title. Chilling and even bleak melodies with arrangements daringly and deliberately stripped down and minimal. Revealing a kinship with sonic bed-fellows Mazzy Star, Chelsea Wolfe or even Portishead.

    Songs like “The Other Sees”, “Respair”, "See Yourself" are chameleonic and commanding, wielding snaky, chiming guitar back to back with fuzzed out riffs.

    Vocal melodies may be sweet but melancholic, amidst tightly contrasted spatial dimensions, and Ball’s signature vocals are at the forefront, sometimes soaring but also with a heart of darkness.

    Of the two ‘heavier’ numbers “In Your Night,” slowly builds to a brooding fuzz-groove like a down-tuned Yo La Tengo until a huge space-doom riffs carries you home while with "See Yourself" the contrast from folk delicacy to tripped out sub-bass fuzz riffage is astounding.

    So, whilst not strictly speaking ‘Doom’ or ‘Metal’ fans of Jessica’s previous work with MWWB will not be disappointed. Along with producer Chris Fielding (MWWB, Conan) EYE have produced something otherworldly, which is at times heavy and epic, yet still deeply intimate and dark.

    A striking debut.

    TRACK LISTING

    1. Window
    2. Dark Light
    3. The Other Sees
    4. In Your Night
    5. In The Sun Eternally
    6. Respair
    7. Out Of Sight
    8. Stillness
    9. See Yourself
    10. Rescue You

    Guhts

    Regeneration

      New Heavy Sounds are always on the lookout for new bands that are looking to push the boundaries of what is considered as inhabiting the ‘heavy’ or ‘metal’ spectrum’. Stuff that pricks up the ears, a bold new voice within a maelstrom of genres and sub-genres. We believe we have found such a band. New York-based GUHTS (pronounced ‘guts’) declare themselves to be an ‘avant-garde post-metal project, delivering larger than life sounds through, deeply emotional music’. We are thrilled to be able to deliver that statement in the form of their debut album ‘Regeneration’. By their own admission, GUHTS' musical style is influenced not only by iconic metal bands like Gojira, Cult of Luna, YOB and Deftones, but more unconventional acts like Bjork, Subrosa, Isis, Julie Christmas, and even PJ Harvey. It’s undoubtedly heavy, with a strong feminist streak, it’s cathartic and weighty, a formidable debut for such a new band.

      Founded in 2020 as a passion project by Scott Prater (Witchkiss), and Amber Burns (Witchkiss) and then Dan Shaneyfelt (Black Mountain Hunger), GUHTS became its members’ main focus following the release of their first EP 'Blood Feather' which itself received rave reviews from the likes of Decibel Magazine, Invisible Oranges, The Obelisk, Cvlt Nation, and more. Brian Clemens Sleaping Dreaming) & Daniel Martinez (Nefariant) joined GUHTS in 2022 and the band swiftly started booking tours and making plans to record 'Regeneration'. Since then GUHTS have been steadily making a name for themselves with their powerful live performances., sharing stages with the likes of Yob, Cave in, Marissa Nadler, plus appearances at the Maryland Doom Fest, Crucial Fest and Ohio Doomed and Stoned Fest. ‘Regeneration’ is set to cement their status as one of the coolest and most interesting bands on the scene.

      Of the album, vocalist Amber says. "Regeneration" symbolizes the power of self-renewal, often overlooked. Embracing it means shedding old layers and welcoming new beginnings. Without this, life stagnates and is “sustaining”. Through regeneration, change becomes empowering, allowing new facets to emerge. It's a courageous, transformative process, inspiring others to overcome fear and embrace change. The album embodies the human spirit's resilience and capacity for growth. Musically ‘Regeneration’ is a powerful and intense series of songs, topped off by some seriously powerhouse and expressive vocal performances. It’s slow-moving chords, moving like sheets through sludge. High guitar lines above, ranging from piercing and shimmering to nasty. Drums pound but not without groove. There are strings, pianos and synths widening the palette. Atmospheric sludge, Metalgaze, maybe, but there’s also that link to the New York Noise lineage from The Velvets and Sonic Youth, becoming a type of post-hardcore in the process, while gaining a connection to metal partly due to the sheer heaviness. A raft of creative experimentation that pushes beyond the realm of post-metal. And then of course, the very first thing that hits you is Amber Gardner's unbelievable, hypnotising vocals - as scary as a banshee while also intimate and persuasive. Amber means it for sure and almost dominates the proceedings. Her lyrics are eclectic, thoughtful. Immersed in women's narratives frombooks like "Women Who Run With the Wolves" or works like "On Our Best Behavior" by Elise Loehnen. Amber advocates stepping beyond comfort zones, believing it's transformative for individuals and vital for Earth's future. Hokey occult rock it is not. In short ‘Regeneration’ is a bold and startling debut, that will reward and enthral listeners the deeper they delve into its many layers.

      TRACK LISTING

      White Noise
      Til Death
      The Mirror
      Handless Maiden
      Eyes Open
      Generate
      The Wounded Healer
      Burn My Body

      Shooting Daggers

      Love & Rage

        Sal, Bea and Raquel aka Shooting Daggers, are without a doubt burning it up at the moment. Since releasing their EP ‘Athames’ last year the whispers are getting louder. Since then, things have been pretty much upwards, non - stop, and Daggers are fast becoming a fiery beacon at the beating heart of the burgeoning UK hardcore scene.

        Plus, their full on live shows have made them a must-see proposition. Whether it’s Desertfest, supporting Amyl & The Sniffers, a plethora of underground gigs and festivals across the UK and Europe including Fluff and Burn It Down. Or sharing the stage with the cream of up and coming American hardcore, Scowl, Gel, Zulu, Spaced, and being personally asked to play the ‘Cult Of Luna’ curated ‘Beyond The Red Shift’. There’s no doubt that Shooting Daggers are most certainly in demand. It’s a wonder they have the time to do anything else. Thankfully, they had a week spare to go in with Wayne Adams at Bear Bites Horse Studio in London to record their debut album.

        Titled ‘Love and Rage’ it’s a huge leap forward from their EP, in fact we believe Daggers have recorded something of a corker in terms of modern hardcore in fact ... a potential minor classic debut maybe. Classic you say? As in 'The Ramones' or 'Damned Damned Damned', as in 'Los Angeles' or 'Bad Brains', as in 'Repeater' or 'Pussy Whipped', or as in (because they wouldn't forgive us if we left them out) 'Non-stop Feeling', by the genre-deviating, mainstream breakers Turnstile. And yeah, we've noticed how male that list is! Whatever way you spin it, there is no doubt that ’Love and Rage' is an album of jaw dropping depth and melody as well as blinding energy and angst.

        The band says … We want to spread a positive message, we are challenging rage into a good force, seeking for justice and unity. Anger serves us as a bodyguard for our personal pain and suffering. But when you recognise rage within you, if you handle it with attention, love, and compassion, it can be a powerful mobilizing factor to take action in solidarity and commitment to enacting social change. This is a time to focus on ourselves and our community. Protect our rights to be in this world and stop caring about men's validations. It's time for women and queer people to channel all our power together. In this album we touch subjects such as Unity, sorority, self love, taking the power back, queer love and skateboarding. And the album sums this up completely over 9 storming numbers. The are kick ass buzzsaw punk bangers of course, blistering shards of pent up fury, like ‘Dare’ and ‘Not My Rival’ ‘Wipeout’ and ‘Bad Seeds’. Daggers ‘as you might expect, but here, more catchy, more direct, more focussed than before. However, things start to get even more interesting with songs like ‘Smug’ and ‘Tunnel Vision’ a big hint that this is no ordinary punk rock record. A grungy intro bangs into stuttering riffs and a chorus with harmonies that will lock itself into your head. Then the band drops ‘A Guilty Conscience Needs An Accuser’ and you go well what is this? A sort of 90’s shoegaze grunge infused soaring ballad, that is as breathtakingly bold as it is unexpected and a real standout. As is the album’s title track ‘Love And Rage’ with its Dinosaur Jr meets Lush vibe. It all fits perfectly. The final track ‘Caves/Outro’ is just vocals and piano … It can only be described as ‘lovely’. Wow. The influences never overwhelm, it’s always unmistakably ‘Shooting Daggers’. It has to be said that the band are not just bashing it out here. The playing is knockout and the vocals in particular are a standout. Singer Sal proving that she can do hard and fast and cool and melodic with equal aplomb. Add in some really inventive vocal arrangements and harmonies, and you have a band that is pushing that hardcore envelope big time.

        TRACK LISTING

        Side 1.
        1. Dare
        2. Not My Rival
        3. Smug
        4. Wipe Out
        5. A Guilty Conscience Needs An Accuser
        Side 2.
        1. Tunnel Vision
        2. Bad Seeds
        3. Love & Rage
        4. Caves/Outro

        They Watch Us From The Moon

        Chronicle: Act 1, The Ascension

          New Heavy Sounds has had its radar pointing at the stars for quite a while now. MWWB (Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard) was our first contact with the dream side of the cosmic. Now we prepare to welcome the second. Hailing from Kansas, They Watch Us From The Moon have landed to present their first magnum opus ‘Cosmic Chronicles: Act 1, The Ascension’ A band with riffs as heavy as Osmium and melodic lead guitar lines (think Gilmour meets Buck Dharma) as strong as spider's silk, it’s a wonder they managed to escape the atmosphere. Perhaps it’s because the sublime vocals of TWUFTM's twin 'Space Angels' Luna Nemesis and Nova 10101001 guide you beautifully through the clouds. In fact their vocals are a total highlight throughout and lift this record far above any genre pigeonholing. TWUFTM are also a band that has a concept behind the groove. Sci-fi space opera, a love for Bowie and Queen, brought to the fore visually, in their mashing of comic book narratives and Funkadelic style alter ego’s. TWUFTM are truly an immersive experience on every level. As to the music … the colossal weight of riffs on this first-contact missive are made so gloriously enjoyable by memorable hooks, honed repetition and and an agile rhythm section that can make each one of their (sometimes 10 minute) stargaze rides feel like an epic odyssey. Fellow space travellers Hawkwind and Pink Floyd, and even Spacemen 3, have been in similar orbits before, but never this heavy. Now, alongside a trajectory charted by Monster Magnet and maintained by The Sword, Ufomammut, White Hills and Witch Mountain .... TWUFTM don't just breathe new life into cosmic tones, they take it to a different level. ‘Cosmic Chronicles: Act 1, The Ascension’ is space opera for Heavy Psych Doommers and Shoegazers alike. This is something new within Heavy Psychedelics, in fact it’s something new anywhere. The epic single 'Return to Earth' last December, following their 'Moon Doom' EP, had the scene talking, and the few album snippets that have been secretly disseminated, has created much anticipation. "A phenomenal blending of doom, psych and spacious rock'n'roll that is as heavy as it is accessible” Desert Psychlist. Cosmic Chronicles contains 5 immense tracks chock full of weight and brimming with melody. ‘On The Fields Of The Moon’ is like fresh oxygen in bright sunlight - chiming lead guitars and angelic twin vocals (almost like Fleetwood Mac … imagine that) melodies draw you in like gravity itself. Complete with a space-bound chorus and a ripping guitar only 250 seconds into our flight. It sets the tone perfectly. 'Space Angel' is literally that. The band's angel’s Luna and Nova are simply mesmerising, weaving through the heaviest of space-kraut riff grooves. With 'MOAB', the mood is darkening. 'Days of destruction, days of disease' - a warning for our times - the pace has slowed, it’s black and doom laden, yet our vocal angels still give us reason for optimism. And there, fellow travellers, we suggest that you take a moment to take in what you’ve just heard, and imbibe whatever is your drug of choice before tackling the final two ten minute space flights. 'Creeper AD' is a psychedelic trip to lose yourself in. Shifting chord progressions, cool guitar breaks and again, those vocal harmonies, entwined and bewitching. 'Return To Earth' does just that, and is pretty much the summation of what we have experienced. An epic, gorgeous space symphony.

          TWUFTM are: Luna Nemesis - Lead Vocals / The General Shane Thirteen - Guitar and Vocals / Adryon Prahktaur- Drums / Zakkatron- Bass / R. Benjamin Black- Lead Guitar and Vocals / Nova 10101001- Vocals.

          TRACK LISTING

          On The Fields Of The Moon
          Space Angel
          Mother Of All Bastards
          Creeper A.d.
          Return To Earth

          Death Pill

          Death Pill

            Death Pill, are an all-female hardcore punk power trio of considerable muscle, combining metalcore, punk rock and (like labelmates ‘Shooting Daggers’) oodles of ‘Riot Grrl’ vibe. It’s significant how many female punk bands are using the stance and attitude of the ‘Riot Grrl’ movement as a touchstone for what they are about, but it doesn’t end there. From the classic punk of Black Flag, The Distillers and Circle Jerks, to modern outfits like Axe Rash and the thrash metal of Nervosa and Exodus, there’s a nod to all of this in Death Pill’s visceral sound. Full on and fully formed on their self-titled debut album. That aside, what makes this release even more pertinent for us, and the fact that it is happening at all, is that Mariana, Anastasiya and Nataliya are from the Ukraine, who’s troubles are well known to all of course, but naturally enough have hit the band very hard. Singer/guitarist Mariana tells the story so far. Just imagine: You are a 20-year-old girl. Society constantly puts pressure on you: you should find a nice husband, have children and at the same time build a successful career. But no one asks what do you really want? What are exactly your interests and ambitions? Because maybe you want to be a punk rock star? Yes, I do and even against it all. I can create a female non-commercial band, play heavy high-quality music, and ignite the crowd. After all, rock is not only about brutal men with curly long hair, right? Nafa (Anastasiya), the drummer, also got sick of this idea. Together we created an all-female punk rock band Death Pill (2017), just like we wanted to! There is a strong and super friendly community of people in Ukraine. It's a big family of true music lovers, people who live by creating the Ukrainian underground scene. This is also how we met Nataliia our bass player. After our first practice with her, we realized that this is a real perfect match. In February fucking Russia started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It really changed our plans, dreams, and attitude. Some do it with weapons in their hands, some volunteer and help in any way they can to bring our victory closer. Hard times, but right now we have a real chance to change lives for the better. Victory will be ours; we are sure of it We couldn’t have put it any better. So there is hope for sure, and as this album amply demonstrates, plenty of fighting spirit. It’s a killer debut. However, producing a ‘killer record’ under such extraordinary circumstances was a challenge too. Tracking started during Covid and was completed in late 2021, only three tracks were mixed before the war hit. However the band and their production team were able to somehow continue and finished everything including the artwork in 5 months whilst the Russian invasion rolled on. A testament to their drive and single mindedness. The musicianship and commitment on display is undeniable, plus the tracks on the album have been totally remastered for this release, sounding as fat and full as a raging whirlwind. Although things are uncertain, the band are still strong and still together.

            TRACK LISTING

            Side 1
            1. Dirty Rotten Youth
            2. Miss Revolt
            3. Die For Vietnam
            4. Друг
            5. It's A Joke
            Side 2
            1. Go Your Way
            2. Kill The Traitors
            3. Расцарапаю Ебало
            4. Would You Marry Me

            Blacklab

            In A Bizarre Dream

              Blacklab are back. The self-proclaimed ‘Doom witch duo from Osaka’ are set to drop their 3rd album ‘In A Bizarre Dream’ this summer. Their debut ‘Under the Strawberry Moon 2.0’ saw them taking Sabbath inspired doom, mashing it with a Japanese sensibility and a fuzzed-up groove. It certainly caused a stir, but only hinted at their potential. Album two ‘Abyss’ added to the mix. A Stooges like squalor to the riffs, dollops of lo-fi hardcore punk and loose riffing, pointing the way towards a signature sound. So what of the ‘difficult’ third album? Not so difficult at all it seems. ‘In A Bizarre Dream’ ups the ante considerably, to let rip and define what Blacklab are about.

              The combined talents of Jun Morino on production and Wayne Adams (Big Lad, Green Lung, Pet Brick, John, Cold In Berlin) on the mix have conspired to produce a towering beast of a record. A real step forward for the ‘Doom Witch Duo’. The drums have a humungous ‘Fugazi’ like welly, and the guitars are a boiling maelstrom of fuzz dense riffola and warped psychedelics, with added synth. Yuko’s throat shredding snarls are as mean as a pissed off Satan, and melodious, often within the same song. This is doom meets hardcore punk, hooky melodies, and killer riffs, all cranked up to the max. Japan has always had a special take on ‘noise’ and ‘heavy’ and with ‘In A Bizarre Dream’ Blacklab add their own spin to that tradition. Gone is the lo-fi approach, here is Blacklab in full effect.

              ‘Cold Rain’ and ‘Abyss Woods’ (debuted at their storming set at London’s Desert Fest and appearing here in its full version) are two nuggets of epic fuzz heavy doom with added screamo and a neat and canny grasp of melody at its core. Very much a Blacklab trademark. ‘Dark Clouds’ is D-beat fuelled hardcore, fierce and ferocious, with Chia’s rolling thunder drumming underpinning the distorted guitar. It’s pretty exhilarating stuff that shifts the mood perfectly. ‘Evil I’ is just that, a riff as evil as it gets, morphing into a chugging punk wig out. Then followed by ‘Evil II’ a breather, almost mellow, melancholy, with layers of dark overdrive threatening to explode beneath a sweet yet menacing vocal.

              Then, the mid-point of the album drops a real surprise. Yuko has said before that the band’s name is a combination of her two favourite bands, Black Sabbath and Stereolab. Odd bedfellows to be sure, but if you want to know what that combination might sound like ... here it is. ‘Crows, Sparrows and Cats’ actually features Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab, no less, providing the lead vocal, adding a layer of cool over Blacklab’s Hawkwind meets krautrock sludge. It’s a stoner groove with pop at its heart ...Sludge Pop even, a surprising gem amongst the maelstrom of sound around it. The skewed, sludgecore of ‘Lost’ with its push-pull riffs and rolling thunder drumming, signals that it’s back to business as usual. And after the brief atmospheric instrumental interlude that gives the album its title, comes ‘Monochrome Rainbow’ a huge beast of a track so simple, yet so seductive, from its filtered bass intro to its massive ebb and flow groove and stomping ending.

              The vocals are all mystery and melody, and the music is kind of a Groundhogs meets Goatsnake ten-ton fuzz-fest, with a singalong, wave your arms in the air chorus. The new Japanese Doom-blues, and what could be the album’s defining moment. ‘In A Bizarre Dream’ closes with ‘Collapse’ verging on noise rock, complete with throat shredding vocals and a crushing wall of guitars, that switch from a stoner groove to full on punk assault, teetering on mayhem before finally ending with the sound of Yuko switching off her fuzz pedal. Perfect. Blacklab have negotiated that ‘difficult’ third album with aplomb and have created a sound that, despite their many influences, is all their own.

              TRACK LISTING

              Side A

              1. Cold Rain
              2. Dark Clouds
              3. Evil I
              4. Evil II

              Side B

              1. Crows, Sparrows And Cats (feat Laetitia Sadier)
              2. Lost
              3. In A Bizarre Dream
              4. Monochrome Rainbow
              5. Collapse

              Grave Lines

              Communion

                Two albums in and London’s Grave Lines, purveyors of ‘heavy gloom’ have already carved a unique niche in the myriad spheres of heavy music. Their first album ‘Welcome To Nothing’ set the tone for their distinct take on doom metal, which was broadened even further with album two ‘Fed Into The Nihilist Engine’. An epic feast of hard ‘n’ heavy riffs coupled with brooding sadness interspersed with thoughtful transcendent moments of introspection. Never a band to rely solely on trotting out those ‘doom metal’ tropes, the band began to weave in gothic and experimental elements into their music, to delve deeper into the dark shadows of the psyche.

                Now with their third album ‘Communion’ Grave Lines continue their exploration into the ugliness of the human condition, at the same time becoming a band that truly defies any pigeonhole. Continuing to hone and evolve their collective vision and aided by the masterful production of Andy Hawkins at The Nave Studios, 'Communion' sees Grave Lines creep further into the various corners of their sound. In a nutshell ‘Communion’ is a violent descent of bile-soaked intensity spiralling between filth laden swagger, and fragile mournful lament. The album delves into the internal aloneness of existence and the failings of the human connection.

                Owing as much to Bauhaus and Killing Joke as it does to Black Sabbath or Neurosis, there are moments of gut wrenching doomed up heaviness and bellowing noise rock, contrasting with ambient gothic passages and a thoughtful melancholy, to a create a powerful new chapter in their ceaseless journey through the gloom. The seven tracks act as distinctly separate representations of the album, each individually mirroring the remoteness of human consciousness. Opening track 'Gordian' doesn't waste any time, a burst of feedback kicks you straight into a filthy low slung punked up stomp before the band switch mood to drop off into a doom abyss, singer Jake raging at the void.

                'Argyraphaga' continues the pummelling groove, gradually descending into nihilistic sludge. In direct contrast the sprawling atmosphere of 'Lyceanid' travels through the darkness. Jake’s vocals harnessing the spirits of Scott Walker and Mark Lanegan in equal measure. The rest of the band (on top form throughout) focus the dynamics over eleven enthralling minutes, as the song builds and builds to a towering crescendo before finishing with a plaintive acoustic coda. This is pure Grave Lines’. An immersive blend of darkness and light. 'Tachinid' is a violent palette cleanser, harsh industrial synths astride a hateful droning spoken word sermon. 'Carcini' is soaring melancholic doom, with the band at their most melodic whilst still able to crush the listener. Broodsac, with its circular riffs, is all gothic post punk noise rock meets fuzz fat riffs, and album closer ‘Sinensis’ offers a final delicate, melancholy moment of calm before launching into an industrial charged grind into oblivion.

                Grave Lines’ fusion of elements makes them one of the most powerful and mesmerising bands inhabiting the heavy music world at the moment, and with ‘Communion’ they have crafted an album that encapsulates their distinctive dynamic perfectly. ‘COMMUNION’ will be released in deluxe black and white smoke effect vinyl, housed in a full colour single sleeve with download included, CD and all digital platforms. 

                TRACK LISTING

                Side A

                1. Gordian
                2. Argyraphaga
                3. Lycaenid.

                Side B

                1. Tachinid
                2. Carcini
                3. Broodsac
                4. Sinensis

                Tenebra

                Moonglazer

                  New Heavy Sounds is very proud to bring you Moongazer, the 2nd album by the 4 piece stoner rock powerhouse from Italy, TENEBRA. The band had already made waves on the scene with their debut album ‘Gen Nero’ before delivering ‘What We Do is Sacred’ their debut EP for New Heavy Sounds last year, 3 killer tracks that were but a taster of things to come. Moongazer takes the story a stage further with 9 slabs of crushing fuzzed up grooves, fuelled by 70’s proto metal, hard rock, punk, psych-blues and noise, loaded with great riffs and melody and topped off by gutsy soulful vocals.

                  Musically, you could say that TENEBRA occupy similar musical terrain to bands such as Graveyard, Witchcraft, Kadaver and other bands of that ilk, but TENEBRA are very much their own beast. They have all the chops of course, but are musically less slavish, often adding a twist that keeps the songs fresh and now. There’s also very little reliance on Sabbath-isms (apart from one cheeky nod) and though occult rock is also part of the vibe, the music steers well clear of the cliches.

                  In fact the band bring a clutch of left field influences into their melting pot as well, from June of 44 and Love Battery to the Misfits and the psych grunge of Screaming Trees. Of the 4 members, Claudio (bass), Emilio (guitar) and Mesca (drums) came from the hardcore and post-hardcore squat scene that gathered around Bologna, whereas their formidable vocalist Silvia (the youngest of the crew) is immersed in the underground rock of the '60s and' 70s. When you hear her sing you’ll know where she’s coming from as she has one helluva rock voice, laced with whiskey, smoke, grit, late

                  TRACK LISTING

                  1. Heavy Crusher
                  2. Cracked Path
                  3. Black Lace
                  4. Carry My Load
                  5. Winds Of Change.
                  6. Stranded
                  7. Space Child
                  8. Dark And Distant Sky
                  9. Moon Maiden

                  MWWB

                  The Harvest

                    New Heavy Sounds is proud to present the new album by Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard. now known simply as MWWB. There has been some speculation amongst fan circles that the final part of the trilogy of albums that preceded this, marked the end of Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard’s five-year mission. Not so. We can categorically confirm that having officially slimmed their name down to the acronym, MWWB are continuing their voyage through the far reaches of the galaxy.

                    The first phase of that journey is their new album ‘The Harvest’. ‘The Harvest’ is the band’s fourth album, and of course it is a record shot through with the trademark heavy MWWB sound, and their unique blend of metal and shoegaze. However it also sees the band adding more experimentation, a progressive approach, and going a bit more left field conceptually. To some extent, it shares similarities with Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’. Not only by having the mix of experimentation and melodicism as that seminal record, but also in the way that it has been engineered and constructed as a seamless piece. Nine tracks flowing into one another. Space age riff monsters segueing into shorter musical interludes, where John Carpenter, rubs shoulders with Pink Floyd and a maelstrom of moog and mellotron.

                    There are surprises, and of course a bucketload of heavy shit. With ‘The Harvest’ MWWB have refined and honed their sound, it’s a carefully crafted distillation of ideas, written, conceived and sequenced to be listened to in its entirety (preferably in one sitting). MWWB have always loved film scores and this new album is in many ways, the soundtrack to a film. MWWB provides the musical narrative (the song titles also provide a pointer) and the listener's imagination does the rest. ‘Oblok Magellana’ and its spooky atmospherics set the scene. before things really kick in with the riffs of title track ‘The Harvest’.

                    A grooving Sabbathian chug intro’s Jessica Ball, who at the top of her game throughout. Her voice simultaneously sweet yet dark; almost neofolk; which when put against those riffs, is always a startling juxtaposition, nevertheless it perfectly crystallises MWWB’s distinctive dynamic. ‘Interstellar Wrecking’ is a succinctly crafted nugget of John Carpenter-esque drama, you can imagine the thundering mothership forging its way through the universe on some nameless quest before encountering ‘Logic Bomb’ and its fat fuzzed-up ride through light and shade guitar/vocal interplay. Ball’s voice soaring and shimmering throughout. ‘Betrayal’ gives a nod to Pink Floyd’s ‘On The Run’ but with its freaky spoken word and four on the floor kick it’s almost a dance track, yet there’s no incongruity here. ‘Altamira’ is epic MWWB, adding large doses of psych into a melodic concoction of dreampop and metal.

                    Ball’s vocals here are many layered and textured effortlessly gliding through the weight of the backing. ‘Let’s Send The Bastards Whence They Came’ is another little gem. A plaintive repeating synth figure that builds with bass, drums, mellotrons and synths into ‘Strontium’ which rounds off the album’s ‘heavy’ numbers, a blend of monster grooves, and Ball’s swooning vocals. Finally, and outstandingly, Jessica strips things back to a distorted guitar and voice on ‘Moonrise’. Shorn of the layers of fuzz, it is a simple, beautiful and fitting catharsis to an epic voyage. MWWB are a thrilling proposition. They demonstrate that you can seamlessly mix crushing power, experimentation and delicate vulnerability into something that transcends any genre. MWWB are Jessica Ball, vocals and synths. Paul Michael Davies, guitar and synths. Stuart Sinclair, bass and Dom McCready, drums. 

                    TRACK LISTING

                    SideA

                    1. Oblok Magellana
                    2. The Harvest
                    3. Interstellar Wrecking
                    4. Logic Bomb
                    5. Betrayal…

                    Side B

                    1. Altamira
                    2. Let's Send These Bastards Whence They Came
                    3. Strontium
                    4. Moon Rise

                    Mountain Caller

                    Chronicle I: The Truthseeker

                      New Heavy Sounds are extremely stoked to announce that our newest signings Mountain Caller are ready to engage hyper-drive and launch their debut album into the riff time continuum. Mountain Caller are El, Claire and Max and hail from London. They describe themselves as a heavy progressive instrumental three-piece, who are driven to tell stories with music and want listeners to conjure up cinematic scenes in their minds. And that they do … in spades. If one needs a sonic ballpark, think the infectious jamming of Elder and the dynamic cinema-scapes of Mogwai, underpinned by the mantric riffs of Sleep.

                      A rich amalgam of Progressive Rock, Post Metal and Doom. Nevertheless, Mountain Caller do succeed in weaving their own unique spell. The band are already buzzing, pricking up the ears of those in the know, and now after two years honing their chops with a clutch of immersive live performances under their belts (including a slot at Desertfest) Mountain Caller are ready to bring you their debut album. Chronicle I: The Truthseeker. Recorded in January of 2020 at No Studio in Manchester by producer Joe Clayton of Pijn, and mastered by Magnus Lindberg of ‘Cult Of Luna’. For the band, it’s a labour of love; the fruit of three years of jamming, crafting, and conceptualising; a collaborative piece, where each instrument takes centre stage, within a heady mix of chasmic riffs and panoramic, reflective soundscapes.


                      Chronicle I: The Truthseeker is a feminist allegory created in tandem with the music. As the band describe it … In The Truthseeker, we join The Protagonist at the edge of the Twilight Desert, compelled by an indefinable but urgent need to set forth on an Odyssean journey to rediscover her memory and her voice. Over the course of 42 minutes, we travel from barren wastelands to mysterious cities, encountering trials of both body and spirit. It is indeed a 6 track instrumental journey. Full of winding roads, brooding valleys and strange encounters, all vividly evoked by a canny grasp of dynamics, melody and heavy, but hooky riffs, executed with peerless playing. 'Journey Through The Twilight Desert' opens the album in soundtrack mode, and develops in weight and riff (as if Goblin have taken up the baton) and closes in a full wide screen Mogwai trip .... and that's just the opening track. Elsewhere Mountain Caller pushes to noisier, heavier groovier places. Whether it’s the chiming guitars on the Krautrock/post-rock groove of 'I remember Everything' or 'Trial by Combat' and its doom meets Deftones vibe. To album closer 'Dreamspirals' with its melodic hooks and huge earworm riffs, it’s an album that more than stands up to listening on repeat as there plenty to discover. 

                      TRACK LISTING

                      Side A
                      1. Journey Through The Twilight Desert
                      2. Feast At Half Light City
                      3. I Remember Everything

                      Side B
                      1. Trial By Combat
                      2. A Clamour Of Limbs
                      3. Dreamspirals

                      Embr

                      1823

                        Within the genre of heavy metal there can be an abundance of variation, color, texture and tone. There are many different shades and many different categories within that catch-all phrase. It’s not all about throat ripping vocals or Neanderthal riffage. As many who are not drawn metal’s immediate charms may perceive. Heavy music can encompass a whole panoply of sounds, moods and ambition. It can surround you with emotional elegance and distressing chaos. There can be subtleness, thoughtfulness and deep introspection even when things get exceptionally heavy. This is why NHS is thrilled to unveil our latest signing. We have partnered with 4 musically kindred spirits from Birmingham, Alabama, collectively known as EMBR.

                        EMBR tick all the boxes & beyond. EMBR already have 3 mighty EP’s under their belt. All 3 got them on the heavy underground radar.

                        “punishingly heavy with sedated slowness on a level different that most doom out there.” Metal Temple
                        “a heavy mixture of grunge, doom and stoner rock with a twinge of gothic style delivery” Outlaws Of The Sun

                        EMBR spent most of 2019 writing 7 new songs for ‘1823’. The album was recorded by Matt Washburn at Ledbelly Sound Studio (Mastodon, Royal Thunder) in Dawsonville Ga. The title ‘1823’ has special significance. It’s not just a numerical title, it has substance. Eric Bigelow (drummer) has been on the list for a kidney for around 4 years. Eric received a kidney transplant in May of 2019. This happened right in the middle of writing the album. The kidney was from a deceased donor and all Eric and Crystal Bigelow (singer and Eric’s wife) know about the donor is that it was a young woman between the ages of 18-23. The album is dedicated to the donor and the surgeons at Vanderbilt hospital in Nashville TN. And what a fine tribute it is. Musically ‘1823’ could be categorized as ‘Doom’. However, on this debut it’s obvious that EMBR have range, drive and a desire to add to the genre, to broaden it whilst staying true to its core fundamentals. Rest assured, the band have all the nuts and bolts in place. Mark Buchanan (guitar), Alan Light (bass) and Eric Bigelow (drums) keep everything tight and weighty.

                        Massive drop-tuned guitars, chest rattling low end, pounding drums, fuzzy distortion, it’s all there. But they also add in synths, a bit of grunge and alt rock flavors. The vocal talents of Crystal absolutely soar and strengthen the music. Her range, patterns and harmonies transport the band’s music skyward. Crystal adds soul and an air of melancholia to the musical creations. If a pointer were needed, think Mastodon meets Witch Mountain with epic sweeps and a shade of gothic drama. Tracks like ‘Prurient’ and ‘Where I’ve Been’ combine thick heavy riffs with Crystal weaving through, powerful and epic, yet soulful and intimate.

                        Musically, the bands core vibe is keep it slow and low’ but EMBR aren’t afraid to mix it up a bit. ‘Stranger’ takes it down, allowing Crystal’s voice to float over the softer elements and riffs in an almost folk-like manner. ‘Powder’ channels throat ripping growls and soaring clean vocals in one loping relentless journey. ‘Eyes Like Knives’ , ‘Your Burden’ and ‘Vines’ are epic doom fests, drenched in gothic veils and dripping with thick distortion. The lyrics are deep and are usually written collectively by Crystal and Eric with one of them sometimes taking the reins on certain songs that they identify with. For instance, Powder is a song Eric wrote about past struggles and trying to power through them with relentless determination and positivity. Prurient was written by Crystal and initially was based on the 2016 movie THE BOY but also was inspired by her past experiences with a haunting figure in her life. 

                        TRACK LISTING

                        Side A
                        1. Prurient
                        2. Where I've Been
                        3. Stranger
                        4. Powder

                        Side B
                        1. Eyes Like Knives
                        2. Your Burden
                        3. Vines

                        BlackLab

                        Abyss

                          BlackLab ‘the dark witch doom duo from Osaka, Japan’ are poised to return with their new long playing record ‘ABYSS’. BlackLab’s first lp emerged to reviews a plenty. “BlackLab’s relentlessly bleak, feedbackdrenched and fuzz-laden take on doom/noise is as dark and mysterious as a black hole, and every bit as absorbing” CLASSIC ROCK.

                          “Blacklab are awesome. Fall under their hex immediately” KERRANG

                          “Raw, noisy and groove laden, an extreme, arcane force” METAL HAMMER

                          The first album was a remixed collection of the band’s early tracks, a melting pot of influences as they set out to inhabit their own space. Now with ‘ABYSS’ the band are very much defining what that space is.

                          Once again, the album was produced by Jun Morino in Osaka, and mixed in London by Wayne Adams (Pet Brick, Green Lung, Cold In Berlin) and is an uncompromising beast of a record. Recorded under a full moon over 3 intense days, the album has the ‘off the leash’ abandon of ‘Fun House’ era ‘Stooges’ and is marked by a fat dose of doom meets slowed down hardcore punk; filled with loud, ultra distorted guitar, and yet, a surprising amount of melody as well. In fact, Yuko has said that the band’s name is a combination of Black Sabbath and Stereolab, well here on ‘Abyss’ is where that strange mix begins to make musical sense. The band haven’t lost their love of lo-fi or ‘Riot Grrrl’ attitude. The guitars are loud and heavily gnarled to the point of chaos.

                          Vocals go from shoegaze melodic to hardcore screams (in fact rarely has a vocalist in this genre screamed so musically as Yuko does) and underneath all this, Chia batters the skins, all rolling and tumbling thunder amidst the riffs. Yes there is a smattering of ‘Sabbathy Wizarding’ of course, but submerged within dark, deep fuzz and punk rock crank and grind. In truth the vibe is closer to both the arty heaviness of early Boris, and the sweet savagery of My Bloody Valentine, than any kind of ‘doom’ tropes. It’s a sound that is undoubtedly BlackLab’s own. So over 8 tracks, clocking in at around 42 mins, you get the current Blacklab world view. ‘Insanity’ creeps in with a sound familiar to doom lovers. Then over the course of eight minutes manages to motor into its own riff time continuum, fuelled by heavy fuzz, pounding drums, and vocals that run the gamut from surly, to sweet, to full on throat- shred.

                          ‘Fade and Melt’ is quirky, odd even, but heavy too, marrying a sweet Japanese melody to a dense, rolling barrage of distortion. ‘Weed Dream’ is driven by chugging, barely under control guitar and grunge punk swagger, and it’s here that Yuko most obviously channels her inner Stereolab. ‘Amusement Park Of Terror’. The title sounds like some cheapo 60’s bug movie, or a grade B slasher flick from the 80’s. Well to be honest this short instrumental interlude would be the perfect soundtrack to either. Both ‘Forked Road’ and ‘Chained’ are cut from the same cloth, a mash up of ‘Stooges’ meets ‘Comets On Fire’ mayhem and loping Sleep - esque riffs. ‘Sleepless Night’ is all throbbing distortion and understated threat, albeit with a curiously catchy chorus and coda. Then you have ‘Sun’ an underscore to any number of nihilistic apocalypses. It crashes in with a guitar tone so huge it’ll threaten to demolish your speakers. Abyss is an album that is as raw and alive as it gets. It’s refreshingly free of artifice, and it doesn’t arse around. Say hello to the Osaka underground.

                          TRACK LISTING

                          1. Insanity
                          2. Fade And Melt
                          3. Weed Dream
                          4. Amusement Park Of Terror Side 
                          5. Forked Road
                          6. Chained
                          7. Sleepless Night
                          8. Sun

                          Sky Valley Mistress

                          Faithless Rituals

                            Included is a free 'Faithless Rituals' board game, 16 unique tarot cards, 4 Sky Valley tokens a game spinner and full instructions all housed in its own separate inner sleeve. Full download included as well.

                            Main CD package is a 4 panel digipack, with a 4 page booklet.

                            Sky Valley Mistress are 4 young upstarts from Blackburn, Lancashire, full of spit and vinegar who have delivered a ferocious, two fingered hello to rest of the world with their debut album 'Faithless Rituals'. Eight tracks of fierce passion and spirit, blistering stoner rock 'n' roll with huge riffs, buckets of fuzz and hooks guaranteed to nail you to the wall from the get go. Couple that with inciendiary playing one of the best female vocalists around ... you have one helluva debut album. In fact, SVM could easily hold their own against the likes of Jim Jones, Rival Sons, Royal Blood, BRMC or any other rockers greasy or otherwise.

                            Still only in their mid 20’s, you can only assume, on listening to their debut, that these young turks made that journey to those legendary crossroads and did the dirty deed with the dark one himself, such is the level of musicianship and vocal prowess on show here. The album was recorded at the legendary Rancho De La Luna, Joshua Tree, California, and co produced by, and featuring Dave Catching (Queens Of The Stone Age, Eagles Of Death Metal and Mojave Lords amongst others) and like all great rock 'n' roll it has vibe and attitude in spades. “I just wanna tell you guys a little somethin’ about this record. Somethin’ that you really need to know. I want this to perforate your eardrums, have a fight inside your head and leave a slow burnin’ fire in the darkest part of your mind. That will never let you forget what will be embedded inside you forever”

                            These are the words of Dave Catching (Mojave Lord, Eagles Of Death Metal, QOTSA), co-producer along with the band of the album. Dave’s intro opens ‘Faithless Rituals’, the debut album from Sky Valley Mistress. 8 tracks of full on hard, and heavy stoner rock, that is guaranteed to nail your ass to the wall from the get - go. 8 tracks of fierce passion and spirit. As Dave says … “Let it puncture your heart, bleed through your body and electrify your soul. Because this … THIS IS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL” Sky Valley Mistress are: Kayley “Hell Kitten” Davies (vocals), Sean “Starsky’ Berry (Guitar), Russell “Russell” Russell (Bass), Maxwell Harvey William Newsome III (Drums/Percussion) 

                            TRACK LISTING

                            Side A:

                            1. A Faithless Ritual
                            2. You Got Nothin'
                            3. Lost In Shock
                            4. Punk Song
                            5.It Won't Stop.

                            Side B:

                            1.Skull & Pistons
                            2. She Is So
                            3. Blue Desert
                            4. Electric Church

                            Cold In Berlin

                            Rituals Of Surrender

                              London rockers, Cold In Berlin return with their new album 'Rituals Of Surrender'. Nine slabs of fuzz laden, goth infused doom rock crossed with post punk attitude and vibe. There are rituals surrounding all acts of surrender; the strange dance we perform before the many endings scattered throughout our lives, before the next beginning rises from the dust. Cold in Berlin’s new album Rituals of Surrender offers up thunderous modern fables, crawling from the wreckage of an ordinary life - dark and hopeful - standing tall in the debris. Over nine songs you are submerged into the dense, heavy sounds of their fourth album:

                              A witch crawls from the ocean as the world is born looking for a new life, a woman recalls the painful love she needed to feel alive, a man cracks wide open looking for secrets, and love burns two desperate lovers - the songs are filled with heroic and overwhelming loss wrapped in the hope of what comes next. Produced with gritty clarity and volume by Wayne Adams (Green Lung – Woodland Rites) Rituals of Surrender opens with the grinding, hypnotic pulse of The Power and the apocalyptic rise of Dark Days, the record twists and turns as guitars crash, tempos warp and vocalist Maya stalks your thoughts with her mesmeric vocals. The rituals continue to build through Avalanche and Monsters, an edgy industrial throb and a sweeping prayer. Side A closes with Frantic a frenetic shard of fractured shellac. When the cut-and-thrust dies down, the album reveals the band at their most fragile.

                              The haunting schadenfreude of Your Body//My Church is a beautiful, desperate love song nestled between the ceremonial Temples and the stoner trip of Shadowman. The album-closer Sacred Ground soars from a place of Lovecraftian foreboding towards an explosion of cinematic-doom. Their grandest and most poignant piece to date. After a collaboration with punk icon Lydia Lunch for Transmaniacon - The Strange World of Suzie Pellet concept album, vocalist Maya delivers a breath taking range of shattering vocals, casting spells of apocalyptic witchcraft, breathing life into the characters that inhabit the rituals. Rituals of Surrender is not a crack of lightning or the drumming of rain on a window, it is an unnatural, ground shaking thunder raging through your veins. It is a suffocating howl crashing through your heart. But with the moments before any ending, surrender brings release, the serenity of escape, even from the darkest of days. 

                              TRACK LISTING

                              SIDE A -

                              1 The Power
                              2 Dark Days
                              3 Avalanche
                              4 Monsters
                              5 Frantic

                              SIDE B -

                              1Temples
                              2 Your Body My Church
                              3 Shadowman
                              4 Sacred Ground 

                              Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard

                              Yn Ol I Annwyn

                                ‘Yn Ol I Annwyn’, Welsh for Return To The Underworld’, it is the third part of the trilogy of albums that began with ‘Noeth Ac Anoeth’ in 2015 and 2017’s ‘Y Proffwyd Dwyll’ (which got them nominated for the Welsh Music Prize in 2017). Whilst MWWB as a band, have never been overly visible, they don’t tend to be idle. 2018 saw them release a split 12” with kindred spirits, Slomatics, and being personally asked by Robert Smith of The Cure to play his Meltdown in London. Not to mention playing an international array of dates and other festivals, prior recording this epic third album. So last Summer, along with new bassist Stuart Sinclair, MWWB returned to Skyhammer Studios and Chris Fielding, to create ‘Yn Ol I Annwyn’. The 8 songs that comprise thes album, sees the band delve deeper into their collective influences, embracing full on space rock, atmospheric film soundtracks, melancholic acoustic interludes, psychedelia, cosmic moogs and percussion, moments of introspection and light … and of course, large helpings of doom.


                                The fat riffs, big hooks and endless space grooves are all present. Jessica Ball’s voice glides over it all, both sweet and melancholy, yet this time more assured. A myriad of stacked harmonies and layered vocals weave in and out of the tracks, adding an ‘other-worldly’ melodicism to the songs. Here’s what guitarist Paul Michael Davies had to say …“For the 3rd album I wanted to take the band's sound even further but still stay true to what made us start the band in the first place. Personally, I think the doom scene is (thankfully) thriving, but some of the ‘genre’ tropes can be a bit limiting, and we are all about pushing that. So some elements of this album will be something different for the usual doom fan. It’s kind of a nice mix of our usual heavy riffs but with some fresh elements.


                                Vocalist Jessica Ball adds … “Album number 3 definitely fits in with the theme of our music evolving, as we’ve been hinting at with the design on our album covers. I feel that we’ve really pushed the boat out on this one, I can’t wait for it to be released!” In fact the album as a whole, is very much a sonic journey into some cosmos on the edge of forever. The short moog piece ‘Tralfamadore’ is your starting point for a voyage that takes in the cosmic space doom of ‘The Spaceships Of Ezekiel’ which manages to mix prog time shifts, heavy riffing, moog licks and catchiness within its 8 odd minutes. Fata Morgana has its rolling almost folk-ish guitar melody on which Jess Ball’s vocals float and shimmer, until it crashes into full on sludge and shoegaze for the second part of the song. ‘Du Bist Jetzt Nicht In Der Zukunft’ is an atmospheric cello and synth soundscape with Ball’s vocal textures weaving and dancing throughout.

                                Title track ‘Yn Ol I Annwyn’ is down tuned, fuzz drenched, ethereal. It could almost be pop, if it wasn’t for the strangeness and heaviness that lurks within. Katyusha is a 13 minute plus instrumental. With its many parts and riffs interlocking and changing, it’s a journey in itself. ‘The Majestic Clockwork’ is a chugging leviathan punctuated with cello stabs, staccato vocals, fuzz drones and floating choirs, before riffing out on a moog trip. The album closes with ‘Five Days In The Abyss’ a mix of atmospherics and fat crushing riffs, an ideal way to end our journey … destination … somewhere new. Previous comparisons to Windhand, Yob, Sleep. or whatever, are rendered completely redundant with ‘Yn Ol I Annwyn’. Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard sound like Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, full stop.

                                STAFF COMMENTS

                                Barry says: From the thrashing, world-crushing drive of tunes like 'Fata Morgana' to the more meditative synth-led cosmic doom (think Wolves In The Throne Room - Celestite vs Mastodon), MWWB have been a whirlwind of riffage and conceptual brilliance since their 2016 introduction, 'Y Proffwyd Dwyll'. things have only gotten heavier and more intricate and this is without a doubt their most earth-shattering outing yet. Essential.

                                TRACK LISTING

                                A1. Tralfamadore
                                A2. The Spaceships Of Ezekiel 
                                B1. Fata Morgana
                                B2. Du Bist Jetzt Nicht In Der Zukunft 
                                C1, Yn Ol I Annwyn
                                C2, Katyusha 
                                D1. The Majestic Clockwork
                                D2. Five Days In The Abyss

                                Transmaniacon Feat Lydia Lunch And Maya Berlin

                                The Strange World Of Suzie Pellet

                                  The Strange World of Suzie Pellet' is a hard rocking concept album featuring a dark, unsettling and mysterious tale of future street dweller Suzie Pellet. A feisty survivor in a ruined world, Suzie is the brainchild of Ian Miller, fantasy/horror artist and novelist. His surreal. nightmarish creations have graced book covers, graphic novels and films, and have given form to the works of HP Lovecraft, Tolkien and many more. Now, one of his own dark gothic characters comes to life. Not unlike Michael Moorcock guiding Hawkwind or Sandy Pearlman, The Blue Oyster Cult, or even a cranked up Moody Blues or Who, Transmaniacon bring Miller'svision to sonic life, aided and abetted by the outstanding vocal deliveries of punk poetess and avant rocker Lydia Lunch (a hind-sighted Suzie) and Maya Berlin (a future 'present-day' Suzie).

                                  Sci-fi and space rock has always been present in Transmaniacon, a previous incarnation was XM3a who released the first New Heavy Sounds single, 'Bad Robot Man', an epic 9 min acid rock riff-fest. This was followed up (as Transmaniacon) by 'The Darkening Plain' their first concept piece containing the 25 min classic 'Quintessence of Dust' - bleak, dense, forboding, and heavy. - a sort of Killing Joke/Hawkwind/Pentagram hybrid which featured the first collaboration with Lydia Lunch. But with 'Suzie Pellet' Transmaniacon becomes more a musical collective. The core of the band remains, hard and heavy riffing guitars, overdriven Hammond Organ (and this time synth) but with the addition of Tom (Uncle Acid/Limb) Mowforth on drums they are a groovier, more athletic 70's rock beast. The twin heavyweights of Blue Oyster Cult and Mountain loom large, but this time with the added groove of an an organ-driven Black Mountain. Suzie Pellet is Transmaniacon's first true collaboration with Ian Miller. Miller resurrected his post apocalyptic tale of street survivor Suzie Pellet in a rotten and derelict London-esque urban-scape called Duht. Transmaniacon have taken and expanded Miller's vision into a story in which Pellet herself, describes the dark, underworld, its characters and situations, friends and foes, all in grisly-spoken and sung diary-like, excerpts.

                                  Lydia Lunch was an obvious choice for the mature Pellet. A survivor of numerous underground scenes herself from punk and no-wave through noise, avant-rock and, appropriately enough here, spoken word. In 1975 Patti Smith perhaps could have been a young Susie Pellet, in 93 Polly Harvey, but now the role falls to Maya Berlin. With her band, Cold in Berlin delivering equal parts Punk, Doom and Goth over their three highly acclaimed albums (including 'The Comfort of Loss and Dust on Candlelight Records), she was perfect. And Suzie gives her the opportunity to expand her vocal (and theatrical) talents in Grace Slick or Julie Driscoll or even Chelsea Wolfe directions. Step into the nightmare world of Suzie Pellet. 

                                  STAFF COMMENTS

                                  Barry says: It's a pretty out-there idea, and more than fitting for the King Crimson / Blue Oyster it so readily references, but this particular concept is flawlessly accomplished and brilliantly overblown. Brilliantly heavy but nuanced psych rock with a host of talented musicians behind it makes it a must have for you LL fans out there.

                                  TRACK LISTING

                                  1. Inca Sunshine
                                  2. Painted On Skin
                                  3. The River, The Birds
                                  4. Sexton Breen
                                  5. Dogs Of War
                                  6. Outrun The Pack
                                  7. Tooled Up
                                  8. Aerosol Death Rattle

                                  Re-issue of the debut album.

                                  Black Moth are four super talented individuals, Harriet Bevan - vocals, Jim Swainston - guitar, Dave Vachon - bass, and Dom McCready, battering the crap out of his drums. Formed 2 years ago out of the ashes of Leeds garage rockers The Bacchae, the band were seduced by the brutal and hypnotic lure of the riff, to emerge translucent skinned and bleary eyed from their cocoon as the ferocious kick-ass heavy rock outfit that is Black Moth (see attached scan). Taking a powerful chunk of influence from proto-punk acts such as Iggy and the Stooges, Motorhead and early Alice Cooper as well as a sliver of 90s grunge and stoner rock and a big dose of doom, Black Moth draw out the darker elements and combine them with the heaving riffs of heavy metal giants, Pentagram and Black Sabbath, with "hooks so sharp you could hang a corpse on them".

                                  They also look to more current acts such as the Melvins, Sleep and Electric Wizard for inspiration, though singer, Harriet Bevan, still maintains a vocal style that evokes the haunting psychedelia of Grace Slick and psych-Satanist, Jinx Dawson from Coven: the woman responsible for the "sign of the horns" in rock'n'roll. They're also a big part of the burgeoning Leeds heavy rock scene alongside Pulled Apart By Horses, Kong, Hawk Eyes and Gentlemen's Pistorls, it looks like it's about to break. Songs that the band have honed and crafted in the mighty maelstrom that is the Leeds heavy rock scene, have been rippin’ ‘em up live not only in Yorkshire but everywhere they’ve played. Now all they needed was to be brought to vivid screaming life on record. Enter Mr Jim Sclavunos, the multi talented Grinderman and Bad Seed, not to mention the superbaaad connoisseur of the mixing console, fresh from producing the storming second Jim Jones Revue album. One of their shows was all it took. ”Black Moth reminds me of my misspent youth” he said. And judging by the all out assault that he’s crafted with the Moth, he must have been a very bad boy indeed. The Killing Jar is their debut from New Heavy Sounds and it rocks like a bastard.

                                  TRACK LISTING

                                  The Articulate Dead
                                  Blackbirds Fall
                                  Banished But Blameless
                                  Spit Out Your Teeth
                                  The Plague Of Our Age
                                  Chicken Shit
                                  Blind Faith
                                  Plastic Blaze
                                  Land Of The Sky
                                  Honey Lung


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