Diaries of Doom

Who are Kurokuma? The psychedelic, sludgy Sheffield trio first emerged eight years ago, although Born of Obsidian is their first full-length, following a demo and a series of EPs and singles. Any quick inspection of their back catalogue tells you that they're far from just another run-of-the-mill sludge band. Bubbling with ancient civilisation, nature and psychedelia, they push doom metal expansively with hypnotising power. They appeared on the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock 2021, starred in 'The Doom Doc', were the first metal band to launch their own cannabis seed (KuroKush) and vowed to make sludge grim again. So, what's happening on this new album? Recorded at Narcissus Studio in London, it interestingly marks Sanford Parker's first time producing an album in the UK, who's well-known for his work with the likes of YOB and Eyehategod. The album begins with the glorious sludge/doom of 'Smoking Mirror'. The guitar and bass pattern has a distinct mystic q...

 Birmingham doom/heavy rockers Alunah release the first single from their upcoming album, Strange Machine,  today. Recorded and produced by Conan 's Chris Fielding at Foel Studio back in October, it ushers in Alunah's second full-length on Heavy Psych Sounds . Strange Machine is due out in full on April 15th 2022, features a guest appearance from Shane Wesley of Crowbar and the artwork was created by Mariano Peccinetti . This   also marks Alunah's first original recording with their current lineup. Album pre-order at https://www.heavypsychsounds.com/ Alunah will tour with Paradise Lost next month, with Rosalie Cunningham in March, and have a series of shows after the album release date, including a headline slot at the Dev at Desertfest London . TRACKLIST: Strange Machine Over The Hills Fade Into Fantasy Broken Stone Psychedelic Expressway The Earth Spins Silver Teaching Carnal Sins Dead Woman Walking Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify MN

Obligatory end-of-year post. 2021 has been a year I won't look back on fondly, with a pretty constant series of personal challenges - not least because of the pandemic - but there's been plenty to remember for all the right reasons, such as the big family reunion at Bloodstock, seeing some of my friends again for the first time in ages, and all the fun band-related stuff I've done with Alunah and Slump. If you follow the blog closely, you might have noticed I've had to take a complete break from posting for the last couple of weeks. Trying to balance running this blog with two bands, other music media platforms and working full-time to pay the bills as a side gig can be a lot sometimes, and burnout's no joke. It's been good to take time away from the music side and enjoy the festivities with my family lately. Only time will tell what '22 will bring, but the standard of music releases only seems to get better at the moment. If the stars align then both of my ...

 Midlands death metal/deathcore mob Djinova have finally unleashed their debut EP to the world. Two years in the making, it follows their slow but steady ascent within underground extreme metal circles, culminating with a slot on the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock a couple of years ago. Recorded at Initiate Audio and Media, it showcases the band - currently operating as a quartet - and the material that has helped them to get where they are with that extra bit of studio polish, with the slick production doing the four songs justice, covering all corners and eras of the death metal genre. There's something for every death metalhead on Apocalypsis Infinitum . 'Ingest the Gospel (Preach the Disease)' wastes no time in setting a tone of brutality, with tremolo-picked guitar riffing, ugly harmonic dissonance and a glass-shattering scream before the song has even really begun. With a melodic undercurrent in the chorus, illuminated with dizzying bass work from Scott, this serves as...

Black Country crossover thrashers Big Black Eye are one of my favourite live bands in the Midlands at the moment.  Since concerts returned, they've been working hard, playing at all sorts of events, including supporting the iconic Cockney Rejects. If that wasn't enough, they're sharing a bill with Discharge next year. Not bad, eh?  At the Scruffy Murphy's 20th Anniversary weekend event the other week, I was fortunate enough to get an advance copy of their new EP, recorded at Access Creative College in Birmingham. It'll be out soon, although I'm not sure when, so you'll have to take my word for it - for the time being - that it's a banger from the first minute to the last.  First track 'Hyper Violent' rips through your speakers with a thrashy guitar riff, setting a heavy vibe instantly. Stabs from the bass and drum cymbals before the song's drop give a really nice vintage-sounding feel from the off, before it kicks into an energetic punk beat ...

Northern Ireland's Puresonic Outcasts return with a vengeful new single, ahead of an upcoming six-song EP. 2020's 'Reflections On This Present Condition' introduced the quartet to the world, before 'Demonised Masses' and 'Chasing Shadows' came out in the second half of that year. These singles saw PSO step the heaviness up a notch with thrashy chugging, clearly evolving from the stoner-punk style of their first EP. 'Desecration' is another step in this direction, with their heaviest material to date... You can just tell that this new release will be an absolute corker. A short burst of feedback gives way to a vicious guitar riff, setting the scene as the Outcasts jam out over it. It threatens to snap your head clean from its neck as you listen along. As they drop into a simpler, punk-infused section that has flavourings of Slayer around the late '80s, Martin's snarling vocals sound more savage and guttural than they ever have done, matchi...

  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...