AGNOSIS - A Painful Pattern EP review

AGNOSIS - A Painful Pattern EP
Self Released
Genre: Sludge / Doom

This is AGNOSIS's first release since their Hecate EP from 2005 at least that's what the promo info stated. In all honesty this is the first time I've heard of this New York act (sorry guys). Although after a quick info search (I emailed a friend  for an expert opinion) I learned that AGNOSIS started out around a decade ago, has a slew of releases out including various demos, EPs and a full length from 2005 titled Zero which my respected doom scribe friend stated is an unheralded doom sludge classic. He also wrote "oh yeah they're fuckin good". I might as well just leave the room but I've gotta write something other than "oh yeah they're fuckin good" but in all honesty this is pretty fuckin good at least three out of the four cuts on here.

The opener, "The Weight of Distrust", is a four and a half minute instrumental which is a decent enough sludgey psych piece. It's just something which would sit better at the end of a forty minute pummeling then as an intro. That last sentence is important because what comes next is a pummeling. Remember these guys are from New York City so they know full well how to beat the living crap outta ya then leave you bleeding in the gutter. "The Path of Repeated Failures" with it's thunderous plodding bass line and acid burned throat vocals is a beat down even with the SABBATH meets NOLA psych riffs jumping out at it's end. The next cut, the thirteen and a half minute long "Writing by Candlelight", is like 40 WATT SUN with an caustic acid casualty on vocals. Harsh vocals screamed and spited out over a doom gloom precession to the graveyard.

The final cut was a big time surprise as well as being eclectic. The band covers "All Your Sins" from PENTAGRAM's Relentless album and has Dave Sherman, the former bassist from SPIRIT CARAVAN, helping out on vocals. I figured AGNOSIS would slow this down to the point where it would sound like playing the original with a quarter on top of the needle. Instead it sounds like they put a boot on it. It still has that rough reverbed edginess to it. Kinda reminds me of what KILLDOZER did with their cover of "Hush" which is always good to throw on for a few laughs especially at the expense of a classic rock fan. I think the bottom line here is that AGNOSIS needs a new full length because a four song EP isn't enough to capture all of their thunder.

Rating: 4/5

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/agnosis



Sorry no vids.

EMPTINESS - Error CD review

EMPTINESS - Error CD
Dark Descent Records
Genre: Blackened Death / Doom

In all honesty this thing comes off sounding like the house band of R'lyeh with Cthulhu on vocals. That should be expected since this Belgium act contains Phorgath and Nerath Daemon of the great ENTHRONED (who also have a new release this year which I'll be getting soon enough). This is my introduction to EMPTINESS which has been around for quite a few years and has two previous full lengths. Error comes off of a five year hiatus for this side project since their 2007 release Oblivion. After listening to this I'll be purchasing their previous releases because music like this is what nightmares are made of. This is the type of blackened poison which will erode the minds of the weak. The band, which is Phorgath - bass & vocals, Nerath Daemon - lead guitar & backing vocals, Jonas Sanders - drums and Phil P. aka: Philippe Angelo Pieters on rhythm guitar, has created a musical malevolent entity of horrific proportions. Any clean spots left on your soul will be covered in black after you listen to this a few times.

Welcome to a realm of grotesque horror as the death doomish atmosphere envelopes you while being taunted by Phorgath's inhuman guttural proclamations. The eight tracks on here combine to leave the listener disoriented amidst chaotic melodies strung out through monstrous riffs and tremolo picked harmonies which ice your bones. This is far from being another old school retread or even an off-kilter version of ENTHRONED. Musically Error is far more experimental in that grandiose rhythms are slammed headlong into bombastic post rock riffs. That's the case with cuts like "Not Enough" and on "Worst". Hypnotically textured intro sequences flow like rain water into a culvert only to exit poisoned and with extreme currents like on "Low" and the opener "Deafer". In the end Error is as varied and disharmonious as the subterranean realm which spawned it. Whether that's literally or subconsciously is up to you to decide. I for one know that this is blackened death doom taken to it's most progressive as well as nightmarish level.

Rating: 5/5

Label: http://www.darkdescentrecords.com/

Official: http://www.emptiness.be/

WOODEN STAKE - At The Stroke Of Midnight CD Compilation review

WOODEN STAKE - At The Stroke Of Midnight CD Compilation
Razorback Records
Genre: Doom

I predicted last year that WOODEN STAKE would put out a compilation of all of their EPs, actually I was hoping they would since most releases were out of print about the time I found out about em. So now one of the best Doom bands around, especially if you're into occult themes, has given fans as well as new comers a second chance. This release starts off with a new cut "Night of the Banshee" and from there contains the two tracks from 2011's Black Caped Carnivore” 7” EP ("Black Caped Carnivore" and "Curse of the Funeral Mistress"), their "In the Godless Moonlight" from their split release with DRUID LORD which also came out in 2011. Then there's the two cuts ( "Death Reads the Black Tarot" and "The Legend of Blood Castle") off of another split release from 2011 with BLIZARO. Then there's the two cuts ("Invoke the Ageless Witch" and "At the Stroke of Midnight / Howl of the Devil") off of 2010's Invoke the Ageless Witch 7” EP which was the release that really got me into this band as well as becoming a huge fan. This dink ends with the five cuts ("Sepulchral Awakening", "Stalking in the Shadowlands", "Condemned", "Forbidden Oath" and "A Passing Lament") from their debut Vampire Plague Exorcism. Now all you need, if you don't have it already, is their incredible full length from last year and you'll be squared away.

Rating: 5/5

Label: http://www.razorbackrecords.com/


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/woodenstake

MONOLITHE - Interlude Second EP review

MONOLITHE - Interlude Second EP
Self Released
Genre: Doom

The French doom act MONOLITHE was never much on impressive titles (it a pattern that kinda runs with many French extreme bands). While waiting to put together their third opus of dark atmospheric doom Monolithe III, which will come out on Debemur Morti Productions maybe later this year, the band created two in-between EPs. The first was Interlude Premier released in 2007. This is obviously the second part which is two long, mostly instrumental with some vocals, cuts, titled Harmony of Null Matter - Section 1 and Section 2, to fill your mind with thoughts of misery and gloom. Some people like to call MONOLITHE's sound funeral doom. Personally I don't think the patient has red lined just yet. In fact it's still comatose but the mind is in the throes of dying definitely. This is the kind of music you listen to late at night when you're curled up in bed with a Lovecraft book and a spider.

Rating: 3/5

Official: http://www.monolithe.free.fr/


Bandcamp: http://monolithe.bandcamp.com/album/interlude-second-ep

Scum News: OM announce new album to be released

OM have announced the follow up to 2009's God is Good, a five song suite entitled Advaitic Songs, will be issued via Drag City on July 23rd, 2012. Where God is Good was the first step in a more ornate and sophisticated direction for Om, Advaitic Songs achieves a level of composition that would've been impossible to foresee.
Advaitic Songs maintains the singularity of purpose that informs the core sound of OM, yet every element reaches further than before. Whatever drone-doom genre that had been hoisted on the duo in years past has been decimated by the sheer imagination, expansive quality, and meticulously detailed arrangements of this new album.
For a band that has continually followed its own course, and stood alone in its sound and approach, Advaitic Songs for certain, is the band's most focused, progressive document.

Here's some live footage of OM at Roadburn this year.

Scum Video: The OBSESSED live at Roadburn

The Obsessed reunited for this years Roadburn Festival, watch most of their epic performance below.

Scum Video: ORCHID live at Roadburn

One of SCUMFEAST METAL 666's favorite bands live at Roadburn. Get your Sabbathian rocks off on this.