Diaries of Doom

Northern Irish punk-meets-stoner metal quartet Puresonic Outcasts (or PSO) released an absolute banger of an EP at the start of the year (which you can check out here ), but they're not done yet for 2020. 'Demonised Masses' is also due at the end of the week, and they'll have 'Chasing Shadows' out soon as well. We'll be looking at 'Demonised Masses' today - but first, who are PSO? Only formed in 2019, they signed to Fuzzy Cracklins to release 'Reflections Upon This Present Condition', full of Sabbathy, fuzzy riffing and a snarling punk attitude to create a familiar, but enjoyable and memorable sound that lingers in your ears long after the EP comes to an end. PSO progressed into the second stage of their Metal 2 The Masses heat in Belfast - their journey in that competition cut short, of course, by that notorious virus going round - but they've kept busy with their fun, active social media presence, shooting music videos and having DJs pl...

  Full disclosure: this is going to be an overwhelmingly positive review. The reason for this is chiefly because Matt Noble, leader of Birmingham-based Stoner Rock riffmongers, Slump, has been one of my best friends for years. I guess a secondary, paltry-by-comparison reason is that their debut single “Nothing More” is absolutely killer.  The track opens with an ominous, chorus-drenched riff; a foreboding of the savagery that is to follow. Then layers of distortion assault your ears and a barrage of piledriving drums leave you gawping from the other side of your face. Think Down, having a punch up with Alice in Chains, then kissing and making up while cranking Corrosion of Conformity records. But as much of a hefty punch as it packs, “Nothing More” also display an impressively measured, melodic side. Noble’s husky-yet-melodic vocals are as soulful as they are filled with attitude, complete with rich harmonies more in the vein of Trivium than Sleep. Elsewhere in the song, clean...

Nottingham thrash metallers Incinery have a new album on the way, if you didn't know. 'Hollow Earth Theory' will be their first release in six years - will it be worth the wait? If their preview single is anything to go off, then abso-bloody-lutely. Incinery are full of old-school thrashy glory, but with a healthy dose of brutality and intensity. They've supported the likes of Exodus, Hirax, Lawnmower Deth and Savage Messiah. They've played Bloodstock, Download, HRH, Hammerfest and Metal Days to name a few. This single rips by in under three and a half minutes, but there's plenty of interesting musical ideas and it's sure to become a fan favourite. Kicking off with a cool production effect that sees both guitars play the main riff separately in each ear, tension builds up before the song explodes into a thrashy frenzy. The verses are structured in an unusual meter, giving an somewhat experimental vibe to the track. Behind this, the precise drumming maintains...

Irish Sludge/Grind/Crust/Noise terror two piece Noosed are set to release Rise on the 23rd of October. It's a short slice of pummelling destruction for those who like their Eyehategod with a side of Napalm Death. The album (EP?) begins with the cold marching of boots against scraping metallic noise, and a sample along the lines of "God created this country, and it's the greatest country in the world", no doubt included as critique of oppressive religious leaderships. This positively dreadful atmosphere leads into We Aim, perhaps the most mid-tempo track of the release, which strikes me as somewhat puzzling when compared to the intensity of the rest of the tracks. It isn't a bad track, in fact it packs a hell of a wallop, it just might not be the strongest opening statement. That said, when Rise finds it's footing, there's rarely a break in the thundering momentum. This is the kind of release I can see picture the band playing back to front as their set, wi...

50 years ago, something magical happened. Utterly beyond the realms of what was thought possible or probably, four blokes from Aston, Birmingham, were set to change the world forever. Reeling off of the energy of a debut album that introduced a fresh face of musical evil to the world, Bill Ward, Geezer Butler, Ozzy Osbourne, and Tony Iommi set about writing what would become an inimitable cornerstone of music culture. They took an honest look at the world around them, and committed their feelings to record. The result is an album of devilishly ferocious highs, and brooding, often insidious lows, with expertly crafted songs weaving through lyrical themes of drug use, and a strong anti-war sentiment. Paranoid, the album that is beloved by the everyone: elitist doom metal drones, the old guard who can remember the year 1970 (we're a young writing team), and everyone in between. Is it doom? Is it Dad Rock? Yes. It's nothing short of brilliant. Join us (Matt, Joe, and Jack) as we pi...

We're now two-thirds into the year. With the end of summer comes a hint or two at the return of (regulated and socially distanced) live music. Things don't quite feel back to normal, but the world undoubtedly keeps turning. August was one of the strongest months we've had all year for underground music releases. It was difficult to only pick three as usual this time round! Master Charger - Origin of the Lugubrious (stoner metal) - Stoned Rocka Recordings Master Charger's third album is their heaviest and most consistent yet. From the instrumental title track crackling in with an analogue hiss to the last, fading seconds of Earthbound Hellbound , this is nothing less than an absolute statement from the Mansfield metallers. With distinctly catchy choruses and riffs, mixed in with ten tons of aggression, Master Charger avoid sounding like every other band in the genre by, yes, worshipping Sabbathy doom and gloom (of course), but also utilising influences from classic rock ...

  Psychedelic music is having somewhat of a renewed heyday, perhaps as modern life pushes us all further and further into the deep channels of the rat race, we're all desperate for something that speaks to an escape, something which lifts us entirely from the mundane and back towards the awe inspiring nature of reality. If you're one of those souls, trapped in the machine, Turtle Skull are here to help set you free. New album Monoliths, released on the 28th of August 2020 through Art As Catharsis, is here to remind you to reconnect with yourself;  Vocalist/Guitarist Dean McLeod says:  "This record is about the intimate connection we share with the Earth on which we stand. It’s about the world and your place in it. It’s about looking deep inside yourself and seeing what you find. It’s about life and death and everything in between… and most of all it’s about the pure joy of creation. We are very happy to share it with you." So how do Turtle Skull go about capturing suc...