Sgt. Sunshine - Sgt. Sunshine (2007)

So this is a rather funny name for a band regardless of what they play. In this case we have a german band with members coming from diverse ethnic backgrounds (at least hispanic I suppose, since there's a couple lyrics written in spanish) that play some sweet ass stoner in the vein of Kyuss or Sleep. However evident their influences are (which is a lot in Sgt Sunshine, really) they don't limit themselves to just copying Holy Mountain and Sky Valley, and they put together a really good album that is nicely diverse with no song that sounds exactly like any other, and while not inventing anything new, at least it's done with great skill, lots of good ideas and killer riffs everywhere.

Summer is definitely the best time for stoner rock. In a coupe days I'm gonna go for a week of holidays in the beach and the sun, and I think I'll be playing this on repeat all the time.

peace

Noisy Sins of the Insect

Awesome screamo from Turkey.
In the vein of Saetia//I Wrote Haikus About Cannibalism In Your Yearbook.
Semi-lo-fi with sweet guitar parts and harsh shrieked vocals.
Very somber instrumentals too.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Ravens Wing- Through the Looking Glass

The band in question is Ravens Wing. Hailing from Australia, Ravens Wing is an epic RAC/folk band. I'm not totally familiar with RAC, it always just seemed to me to be guys putting on labels and making statements to cover up for their lack of talent. Ravens Wing definitely confirms my beliefs.
Ok, so back story. Any time there is a discussion over whether or not Destroyer 666 is racist, someone brings up Ravens Wing. KK Warslut, guitarist and vocalist for D666 did guest guitars on this album. And I must ask WHY?!?!? Remember that "America, Fuck Yeah!" song from Team America? Their vocalist sounds EXACTLY like that. I honestly thought this shit was a joke when I first heard it. Cheesy galloping riffs and this dudes terrrrrrible vocals. The album slowly becomes way more folk oriented and there are some nicer spots, but of course he has to ruin it with the vox.
I dunno, I figured I'd share because this is a pretty rare and unknown release and to just share something different...

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8YRVS9RO

Priesticide Lust - Pride of Ignorance (1994)

"It's like being hit with a sack of hammers that were fans of Incantation." - Funeralmass

Priesticide Lust, aside from having an amazing band name play extrememly kvlt death doom from Poland. This shit is fucking crushing. They pummel you into oblivion and then just when you can't take any more they change the pace with a blasting death section. The vocalist is of Demilichian flavor. Well enough rambling, hit this shit up.

peace

Elder - Elder (2008)

Country: USA
Genre: Sludge/Doom


This album is quite possibly some of the grooviest, and most solid sludge/doom that has ever entered my ear canals.
Lyric excerpt:

earth behind me
universe in front
so grab your matches man
and take a hit of the cosmic blunt

I think I just blew a megaup"load".

When - Death in the Blue Lake (1988)

When - Death in the Blue Lake(1988)
experimental/post industrial/psychedelic

When is a solo project of Norwegian musician Lars Penderson. He began the musical project under the curious name "Hospital Blimp" in 1983 before settling on the bands current enigmatic moniker in 1987.

Death in the Blue Lake is Penderson's sonic answer to André Bjerke's pschological thriller novel of the same title. Although I haven't read the novel (it appears to be difficult if not impossible to find in english) Penderson's work definitely caries a foreboding and schizophrenic atmosphere that wouldn't be out of place in a tale of murder and madness. The album being Norwegian and from the late 80's also has the significance of enjoying quite a bit of popularity among the country's second wave black metalers. Perhaps the album inspired Varg to flirt with dark ambient? That's just conjecture on my part though. What I do know is that Satyricon sampled the title track of Death in the Blue Lake to use as the intro on their debut full length Dark Medieval times.

So forget all of that, what does the album sound like? Well the album ultimately carries many pop sensibilities. They are however obscured by the dark atmosphere and dissonance that create a patina of decay above everything else. The album begins with a grueling journey through a 20+ minute sound scape. All hope seems to be lost, but when the next track begins the album reveals it's true colors as catchy hooks and melodies begin to surface. The album works best as a cohesive whole so I recommend listening to it all the way through. Otherwise you will miss the contrasting elements.

peace

Aorlhac- Opus I (2009)

Artist - Aorlhac
Album - Opus I
Year - 2009
Country - France
Genre - Blackened Folk Metal

Ahh yes, French black metal. From the unsavory sounds of Peste Noire to the soft shoegazing of Amesoeurs, we have surely got quite a bit of different things coming from the country. But what is this? Epic, folky dudes Aorlhac have quite a different formula then the other bands. Unlike most other folk metal bands, these guys create an epic atmosphere minus the saccharine wankage of keyboards and/or various other instruments, sticking to the good ol' acoustic and electric. Woe be the person standing above me during the song "Aorlhac", I cannot help but fist pump to the powerful chanting of the vocalist. This album comes out like a cannon ball in Versailles and ends with a bang (Ulver cover!). So yes, this album is a must for anyone remotely interested in black metal or folk metal. Listen here.

Whitehorse - Whitehorse

Detune Burning Witch another whole step, slow the tempo down another 20-40bpm, and add layer upon layer of blackened droning noise. The density of this album (2 discs, one with two live songs, the other with three studio tracks) is unlike almost anything I've ever heard. Nearly constant throbbing sub-bass, guitars alternating trebly black metal ice-picks and oozing sludgy undertow, topped off with vocals that can only be described as crippled and decrepit. And just when you think you've got the whole package figured out, they get all melancholic and pretty on the live tracks. I hate trying to describe shit, so I'm just going to stop there. Suffice to say that this is well worth a listen for any fans of crushing doom ala Burning Witch, Graves at Sea, Ocean, etc.

disc 1

disc 2

Dažd - Dažd (2009)

What, is there any actual metal band in Serbia?
I discovered this band because of their split with other blackened crust band (namely Order of the Vulture, who are awesome btw) and their only song on there was enough to instantly make me check this band out. Anyone familiar wit OotV will probably have an idea what to expect from Dažd, but to those who doesn't, this is somewhere in between crusty sludge a la Dystopia, some serious Amebix, Hellhammer and first wave BM worship and everything slowed down a tad to get a doomy feeling. Vocals are rather scarce throughout the album but when they appear they are like raspy scream somewhere in between a black metal shriek and your typical crust vocal style, and the singer contributes really well to set the dark, apocalyptic atmosphere that metallic crust is so effective in casting. Lyrics apparently deal with anarchy, paganism, nuclear war and other funny things, though I obviously don't understand a single word the guys shout to the microphone. They seem to be fairly simple anyway, and you can pick the words from the song titles being repeated over and over again

Also, if any of you suckas happen to not like this, it's also a fairly short listen so you won't need to suffer for more than thirty minutes. Hope you like it though.

derp

Poison (GER) - Into the Abyss

I haven't posted in a few decades now, so I figure I owe you guys this one. It's not really well known, but by no means enshrouded in darkness either, as plenty of you have probably heard this already. Still, it deserves a spot here, as it easily sits among the best primal thrash/death/black metal albums I've heard. You may be thinking, "pity it's only four tracks", but fear not, for each of these are 7+ minute sojourns into the darkest recesses of riffage known to man.

Alright, I'll cut with the theatrics and let you guys have the link: MediaFire