January 2020: Top Picks - Konvent, Kirk Windstein, Voidlurker
January's always a slog of a month, isn't it? Everyone's broke after Christmas, the pubs are half empty and it's cold (pretty much) all month round. And we've still got bloody February to get through before the weather gets any better. January 2020 was especially apocalyptic, with bushfires burning Australia to a crisp, Coronavirus, and the assassination of Soleimani in Iran. Pretty doomy, if you ask me. What's the press going to tell us we're all going to die of next month? Plus we had the untimely losses of Neil Peart, Reed Mullin, Sean Reinert and Joe Payne, to name a few.
Diaries of Doom doesn't broadcast current affairs, though. The first month of the new decade was pretty good for new music, and I've picked out a few of my favourite releases for January 2020.
Konvent were signed to Napalm Records with only a demo to their name. Puritan Masochism dropped like a bomb the other week, and it's absolutely crushing. Unashamedly old-school, but with refreshingly modern production, I can just tell it's going to be a cult (kvlt?) classic amongst metalheads. It's pretty slow and gloomy throughout, but they subtly change it up between and during the tracklist, with tempo, time and key changes that can easily go under the radar. Puritan Masochism is very strong throughout, but I honestly find myself skipping the first 3 tracks when I re-listen and just going from 'World of Gone' through to 'Ropes pt. 2' if I'm after a quick fix. This is incredibly atmospheric, heavy and powerful. Kinda like Candlemass to the power of 666. Not bad at all for four women from Copenhagen.
Read my MMH Radio review here
You all know who Kirk is. If not, have a listen to Crowbar's Odd Fellows Rest or Down's first album. But Dream in Motion isn't like these two, it's a downtempo, contemplative solo album - although it's no acoustic, 'Kirk Unplugged' snoozefest. Kirk turns down the guitars and bares his soul on his first solo album to fantastic effect, with some beautifully written songs and a vocal performance throughout that shows him right at the top of his game. It doesn't sound like Crowbar, but if you like Crowbar, you'll probably like Dream in Motion - you get a trace of their more melodic moments in some of the 'louder' songs on this album. There's still heavy guitar riffs lurking around, with his unmistakeable guitar tone, but the album is mostly heavy in an emotional sense than a musical one. 'Enemy in Disguise' and 'The World You Know' really stood out to me.
Read my MMH Radio review here
I couldn't not include the Voidy boys. Industrial Nightmare comes after a couple of years of working hard, playing gig after gig, writing riff after riff. Masters of the riff, too, it strikes me how well they balance the more euphoric, bluesy riffs, with sludgier licks that are the musical equivalent of having your head pounded into the gravel by an angry caveman. The production, from Conan's Chris Fielding, is fantastic, really bringing the songs to life. The drumming is a highlight, with tightly controlled tempo changes in pretty much every song. Most of the album is slow to mid-tempo, but with a couple of parts (such as the end of the title track) that make me want to open up a pit in my bedroom or wherever I'm listening to it. It might not be acceptable to start a moshpit wherever or whenever I feel like doing so, but if you like riffy doom then it's definitely not acceptable to pass over this EP. #VDC
Read my MMH Radio review here
MN
Diaries of Doom doesn't broadcast current affairs, though. The first month of the new decade was pretty good for new music, and I've picked out a few of my favourite releases for January 2020.
Konvent - Puritan Masochism (death/doom) - Napalm Records
Read my MMH Radio review here
Kirk Windstein - Dream in Motion (rock) - eOne Music
You all know who Kirk is. If not, have a listen to Crowbar's Odd Fellows Rest or Down's first album. But Dream in Motion isn't like these two, it's a downtempo, contemplative solo album - although it's no acoustic, 'Kirk Unplugged' snoozefest. Kirk turns down the guitars and bares his soul on his first solo album to fantastic effect, with some beautifully written songs and a vocal performance throughout that shows him right at the top of his game. It doesn't sound like Crowbar, but if you like Crowbar, you'll probably like Dream in Motion - you get a trace of their more melodic moments in some of the 'louder' songs on this album. There's still heavy guitar riffs lurking around, with his unmistakeable guitar tone, but the album is mostly heavy in an emotional sense than a musical one. 'Enemy in Disguise' and 'The World You Know' really stood out to me.
Read my MMH Radio review here
Voidlurker - Industrial Nightmare EP (doom/sludge) - APF Records
I couldn't not include the Voidy boys. Industrial Nightmare comes after a couple of years of working hard, playing gig after gig, writing riff after riff. Masters of the riff, too, it strikes me how well they balance the more euphoric, bluesy riffs, with sludgier licks that are the musical equivalent of having your head pounded into the gravel by an angry caveman. The production, from Conan's Chris Fielding, is fantastic, really bringing the songs to life. The drumming is a highlight, with tightly controlled tempo changes in pretty much every song. Most of the album is slow to mid-tempo, but with a couple of parts (such as the end of the title track) that make me want to open up a pit in my bedroom or wherever I'm listening to it. It might not be acceptable to start a moshpit wherever or whenever I feel like doing so, but if you like riffy doom then it's definitely not acceptable to pass over this EP. #VDC
Read my MMH Radio review here
MN
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