DEATHRATTLE PODCAST ~ Dirty Dozen ( November 2021 )

Although a doom band took the number one spot once again, November was very strong for the thrashier side of death metal. There are several bands that are new to me in this months list.

ALTARETH

On their debut full-length "Blood", Altareth serve their sludgy guitars low and slow, with a slab of fuzz and a side of doom in massive portions.

GODLESS

Relentless Death Metal with some Thrash thrown in for good measure.

GREEN DESERT WATER

Rest assured, you’re about to spend 38 minutes in the presence of masters. Roll with it and be glad you did. FFO La Chinga, Captain Beyond, Lord Fowl, Black Elephant

SICKOMANIA

Scandinavian thrash, death ’n heavy metal.

ACHE

Ache is a Dutch sludge/doom duo from the Netherlands.

KHEMMIS

Doomed heavy metal.

ETERNAL EVIL

Thrash Metal From Sweden

SAVAGE DEITY

Poised and pure: guttural but clearly enunciated vocals, catchy blastbeat sections, multiple tempo changes without losing sight of classic songwriting, dark and morbid atmospheres, and speed-shredding riffs and solos that harken to the earliest days of Morbid Angel, Deicide, Malevolent Creation, and many other '90s Florida death metal masters.

DEMONZTRATOR

Second album of the Finnish thrash metal butchers!

HYPERDONTIA

Opening with a charnel blend of doomy riffs and cavernous drum work, the band draw once more from the spectral vein of old school Death Metal with their own crushing blend of slower moving extremity.

LOW ORBIT

Through solar skies three journey from the center of the earth to a time and space unknown........a place where the explosive sounds of heavy groove and psychedelic rock collide to create a home just above earth.

CONFUSION MASTER

Existentialism and escapism. manifesting the personal horrors in tone.walking traditional doom paths, deeply rooted in sabbathian mud. sidekicks towards sludge and underground hardcore as played in radical D.I.Y. circles add to the mix.

DREADBEGGAR ~ Sludgefuck Blues (2021)

Sludge from the UK mixed thick and nasty. What I love about 'Sludgefuck Blues' is the fact that somehow Dreadbeggar manages to move its bloated carcass into some kind of groove, it leaves a pretty loathsome stain on the floor though. The guitar tone is perfect for this type of music, tuned low with a slight dissonant, grainy sound pierced by alternating harsh and guttural vocals and backed up by a pummelling rhythm section.

'Sludgefuck Blues' isn't all slow 'n' sloppy. The track 'Misery Reciprocated' sounds almost jaunty in its anger and 'Torment Addiction' has a brief guitar solo that fights to make itself heard among the ensuing carnage but by and large, 'Sludgefuck Blues' is like a slap across the head by a large, heavy, slimy thing. Start up the EP and you're entering a House of Horrors, The further in you venture, the more frightening it gets. The damndest thing is though, you can't help but smile.

LADY LUNA AND THE DEVIL ~ Mother of All Sin (2021)

Gather round all ye sinners and behold the sermon delivered from the pulpit of doom by Detroit band Lady Luna And The Devil who's debut album Mother of All Sin will be released 10/12/21 on Bandcamp through The Swamp Records.

Bravely, Lady Luna and the Devil has released Mother of all Sin as a concept album, an opera subverting the Book of Genesis chronicling Eve's journey to liberate herself from Paradise via the Seven Deadly Sins and it works in a rather clever way because it also gives the impression of someone wrestling with their conscience. Listen to the album wearing headphones and you have the sweet, dulcet tones of vocalist Lady Luna on one shoulder and the sound of temptation with the minimalist, earliest Candlemass like riffing of guitarist The Devil on the other, goaded by warlike percussion from drummer, Hand of Doom.

Mother of  All Sin is a no frills album. Its simplicity is explained by guitarist,The Devils' influences which includes the album 'Monotheist' and the band Triptykon. It sounds surprisingly grim, shoegaze in parts but is finely balanced by the clarity and range of Lady Luna's vocals. 

The bands bio states that The Devil only started to really get into playing the guitar during Covid, so it will be really interesting to hear how the band progresses and further defines its sound but, until then, Mother of All Sin is a solid foundation and an interesting take on how to further embrace the bond between heavy doom and clean, feminine vocals.