Diaries of Doom

  On this day in 1971 - 50 years ago - Alice Cooper released the much-beloved 'Killers'. Today, Pale Wizard release their first instalment of tribute albums titled 50 Years Later - with eight (or twelve, on the CD/digital releases) handpicked artists from the UK doom, psych and stoner rock circles paying homage to Killer and Alice Cooper in their own way. Tracklist: 01. Green Lung – Under My Wheels 02. The Grand Mal – Be My Lover 03. Sergeant Thunderhoof – Halo Of Flies 04. Ritual King – Desperado 05. 1968 – You Drive Me Nervous 06. Trippy Wicked – Yeah, Yeah, Yeah 07. Mos Generator – Dead Babies 08. Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell – Killer 09. Alunah – I’m Eighteen (Bonus Track) 10. Suns Of Thunder – Billion Dollar Babies (Bonus Track) 11. Possessor – Muscle Of Love (Bonus Track) 12. Sound Of Origin – Sick Things (Bonus Track) Alunah - I'm Eighteen (live in London, July 2021) - featuring two Diaries of Doom contributors Lead single for this release is The Grand Mal tackling

 Preston trio Callus return with A Breath of Flesh Air , two and a half years on from Hogpocalypse and the Through Blood, Sweat, Piss and Pain EP in 2017. Recorded at Foel Studio with Chris Fielding from Conan back in February, you notice the stunning album artwork (created by Ryan Hancock) and wonderful song titles such as 'Cinderstella' and 'Sludge Guzzler' before you even hit the play button. It's enough to draw anyone in... I had seen the name 'Callus' on a few bills prior to seeing them in concert for the first time at Badgerfest in Manchester a few weeks ago. Their confident brand of progressive sludge metal has hints of Mastodon, Boss Keloid, Dvne and the like, but with an aggression and directness that nods unashamedly to acts like High on Fire. In the live arena, their downtuned riffs and energy absolutely crush, with a dual vocal attack that gives extra dimension and layering to their thick sound - which, somehow, only comes from three musicians.