Boris - A Bao A Qu

Boris are have been kicking around for a very long time now and they're also one of my favorite bands. Because they are so well known I didn't bother to post their stuff (I did post their discog early on but all those links are dead and gone) but I think this is worth sharing because of two reasons: the first reason is my favorite song by them and the second reason is that this is a bit more obscure release so maybe not all of you Boris enthusiasts have it.

A Bao A Qu has several versions, reworks and live versions. I managed to find seven of them and this is the longest one clocking at just a bit over 10 minutes. The song itself is set into two parts. The first part is a very laid back drone-y intro that reminds me a lot of Gymnopédies, 1. Lent et douloureux by Erik Satie (without the feedback of course). I don't know if this a tribute or a rip off but the notes seem very similar. Nevertheless this is probably the better half of the song. After about 4 or so minutes of drone Boris shift into high gear and lay out some really fine doom/sludge thing they usually do (or did). Big open guitar riffs, echoes vocals and all the good stuff they do best and this part transitions quite well from the quiet one.

What they achieve the most with this certain song is laying out a feeling of some happy solitude. One of those feelings that you get when you stare out of some tall building on a quiet sunday evening. Watching last rays of Sun disappear.

Download.

Music video.

Cavity - Supercollider

Apparently there's a post rock band called Cavity and they are from the US but there was also another Cavity from the US that played sludge oh so nicely in the 90s. And I'm talking about the sludge one because it's fucking awesome.

Cavity is one of those bands that was really good but never quite made it to the big league so it stayed in the underground department and faded away after a while. They released 4 albums in their career and I can't really say I heard all of them but Supercollider is considered to be the best of all of their releases (if we don't count the compilation which technically isn't an album). So what you basically get is sludge in its primal form which is raw, noisy and heavy as fvck riffs with great vocals. If you are looking for some fun this is all you need.

1. Supercollider 06:37
2. Set In Cinders 01:59
3. Taint And Abandon 02:30
4. Inside My Spine 02:22
5. Threshold 00:38
6. Black Snake 02:40
7. Damaged IV 03:13
8. How Much Lost 06:29
9. Last Of The Final Goodbyes 04:51
10. Almost Blue 05:14

Avg. bitrate: 227kbps
Download.

Coffins / The Arm and Sword of a Bastard God

Last flac post so I wanted to post something really great and not so common among the blogsphere (I think :O).

I'm sure anyone who's into metal has heard of Coffins. It's one of those legendary doom bands alongside with Corrupted and stuff like that. But who is The Arm and Sword of a Bastard God? I'll say again, The Arm and Sword of a Bastard God. I love that name, it's so, long. Anyway they are from US (California to be more exact) and they are an relatively new band. So far the only official release is this split. There is a demo available on their myspace if you are interested but it's not really that good as are the songs on this split.

This split is one damn fine bone crushing sound orgy. Slow, heavy and br00tal. It has all that I need from doom metal and associated genres. I'm not really good with explaining so I guess it's up to you to decide. It got good reviews on Metal Archives if that means anything to you.

 *will not be uploaded again

Halo

More metal? Why yes, by all means. :P

Halo was always an peculiar band to me. Some records I liked and some I didn't. I still consider their Body of Light to be their best album. I don't know why it's so hated on Metal archives? Maybe because it's not true? Well I don't really care anyway. This is some damn fine drone/sludge/noise whatever. Guattari - From the West Flows Grey Ash & Pestilence is an more musically driven album. The songs have usual song structures, standard sludge awesomeness and pimped out vocals that ties it all together in a nice psychedelic trip. Body of Light on the other hand is more about epic and less about being sludge. It's also less structured and has more drone feeling. Well, the band is pretty much popular (I think :/) so I won't ramble any more because you probably heard about them anyway.

 *will not be uploaded again

Black Shape of Nexus

B.SON is a drone doom/sludge band from Mannheim, Germany formed in 2005.

Members of B.SON have also played (currently or formerly) in other bands, including Stack, Curbeaters, Prone, Corpse Prose, The Notorious Love Affair, Battle of the Speeds, The Ghost Dance Movement, 2 Minutes Hate Show.

In mid 2007 Vendetta Records released their first album. Also in 2007 a split LP with the berlin sludge band Crowskin came out. Also released by Vendetta Records. Simultaneously with the Split LP a CD came out on Vendetta compiling both, the album LP and the Split LP). Everything mastered by James Plotkin; produced, engineered and mixed by the band in best diy tradition.

In January 07 first Drummer Marco left the band. A few months later Marius joined the band. In the meantime they started to release a new beast: microbarome meetings. Occassionally they meet for improvisational work, representing the drone side of the lineup. Some of this work will be released on both labels Ecocentric Records and Vendetta Records.

Oh I haven't listened to this band in ages. I almost forgot how good they are. Seriously check them out if you are into drone. I have their first demo and first album. They released another full length and a split last year but I never checked it out. :/

Black Shape Of Nexus - 2006 - Demo

01. I (21:13)
02. II (13:30)
03. III (10:10)
04. I (Drone Version) (18:47)

Black Shape of Nexus - 2007 - Black Shape of Nexus

Mastered by James Plotkin of Khanate

1. III (10:35)
2. VI (11:05)
3. V (21:00)

Get Both.

Herem - I Pulsa diNura

I am and always was such a sucker for female vocalists especially if they scream/growl. This album is kinda a fetish possession of mine since their vocalist is female. I Pulsa diNura is their first album and I guess it's pretty good, standard sludgy doom metal that everyone loves but has this epic feeling to it. They are from Finland, no idea why the title sounds so Spanish.

Tracklist:

1. ...And Hell Sent An Angel (03:39)
2. White Walls (07:27)
3. Blood For A God (The Dead Walk The Earth Again) (06:46)
4. I Am The Sun (05:32)
5. Burning Sky (06:31)
6. Dawn Of The Last Day (06:38)
7. Behind The Wall Of Misfortune (07:25)

Download.

Lair Of The Minotaur - The Ultimate Destroyer

Lair of the minotaur is a sludge band hailing from USA. This is possibly my favorite sludgy band that I have encountered so far. They released new album this year but I'm a little disappointed over it. This on the other hand is amazing. Filled with lots of catchy riffs and powerfull yelling vocals and it never gets boring. Certainly worth checking out!

Tracklist:

01. Juggernaut of Metal (04:34)
02. Behead the Gorgon (04:38)
03. The Ultimate Destroyer (03:42)
04. Lord of Butchery (00:53)
05. Grisly Hound of the Pit (03:56)
06. Cannibal Massacre (05:45)
07. Horror (03:23)
08. Engorged With Unborn Gore (04:24)
09. The Hydra Coils Upon This Wicked Mountain (07:13)

Download.