Sergeant Thunderhoof - Terra Solus

By Calen Henry. Sergeant Thunderhoof couldn’t possibly have anticipated they’d be releasing Terra Solus mere weeks after stoner metal godfathers Sleep dropped their first album in over a decade with no advance warning. It’s a good thing, then

By Calen Henry.

Artwork by Sara-Jane Swettenham.

Sergeant Thunderhoof couldn’t possibly have anticipated they’d be releasing Terra Solus mere weeks after stoner metal godfathers Sleep dropped their first album in over a decade with no advance warning. It’s a good thing, then, that it's so good. Drawing more from the Kyuss side of stoner metal than Sleep’s woozy mantras, Sergeant Thunderhoof show stoner metal takes more than killer fuzz, big riffs, and an Orange stack but those certainly help.

Eschewing the progressive trappings bands like Dvne and Elder have embraced, Sergeant Thunderhoof deliver straightforward stoner metal with a dash of psychedelia, for a sound straight out of Palm Desert. Rather than showcasing skill with complex song structure, or lofty concept albums (two things I do so love) they inject their straightforward attack with subtle touches that set them far ahead of the usual “dusty dudes with a riff” desert rock. Like Kyuss before them, they refuse to be pigeonholed into a single sound, delivering varied, impeccably composed songs that always come back to the riffs, but don't live or die by them.

While the songs are rooted in huge fuzzy guitar riffs, the fuzz itself sounds different from other bands. Mark Sayer’s tone splits the different between the smooth fuzz of an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi and the razor-edged Boss Hyper Fuzz. The fuzzed out riffs often twist and turn in unexpected ways playing on expectations of bluesy stoner rock riffs and trading off with the bass to keep the momentum going through solos. The axes are underscored by phenomenal drumming that drives the grooves along and fills the spaces with interesting accents and rhythms, one of my favourites being a penchant for double kick rolls into phrases. The band delivers on both fast rockers and slow jams with their straightforward tunes belying a complexity that only reveals itself if you want to look for it over repeated listens. The more I listen to it, the more I like it and the more I can't stop listening to it.

To top it all off the vocals are fantastic. Vocals often get de-emphasized in metal, but many of my favourite bands are set apart by their vocals. “Half a Man”, the album’s penultimate track, show the band know what they’ve got in their vocalist, giving him a showcase accompanied only by dreamy clean guitar. It’s a stunner. Dan Flitcroft’s range of styles throughout the album is huge from thin and Ozzy-like, to a whiskey-soaked growling croon and full-throated singing layered with vocal harmonies reminiscent of ASG’s Jason Shi, all of it perfectly executed and chosen to complement the songs.

Thankfully, Terra Solus features excellent production to match the music. The master is a bit less dynamic than their last outing, “Ride of the Hoof” at DR 7 instead of DR 9, but it’s dynamic enough that everything comes through clearly and the drums and bass have a nice “thump” to underscore the fuzzy riffs.

With Terra Solus, Sergeant Thunderhoof show how stoner metal is done. I can’t remember the last time I’ve heard a Kyussian stoner metal album this good. Even without the “Name your Price” pricepoint it’s absolutely essential listening.

Chrch - Light Will Consume Us All

By Matt Hinch. It wasn't too long ago I was writing about Chrch. Their split with Fister last year was pretty good. Luckily the wait was short for the next release, Light Will Consume Us All. On this one we get three tracks ranging from

By Matt Hinch.


It wasn't too long ago I was writing about Chrch. Their split with Fister last year was pretty good. Luckily the wait was short for the next release, Light Will Consume Us All. On this one we get three tracks ranging from nine and a half to up over 20 minutes. So be prepared to invest some time.

“Infinite” starts with a long intro of lonesome guitar setting a longing mood with the percussion sitting in the distance. After a while the drums move up, the guitar moves back, and the vocals come into focus setting up a doomy dirge. Melodic lines weave throughout and vocals range from clean, Dorthia Cottrell-esque to absolutely vile. The passages of quiet and serene and those of outright heaviness show the two sides of the band can co-exist. But to be honest the haunting guitar/vocal part around the 3/4 mark was not expected. Luckily, the crushing volume and massive tone returns on the back of a beastly doom riff to finish things off.

Chrch at Northern Discomfort 2018. Photos by Krups Peredo / Abismo Blogzine.

“Portals” is a complex 14:49 that feels much darker than its predecessor. Slower, more pummelling, more doomed. At least when it wants to be. There are less intense moments on this one too. Eva Rose's clean vocals are ghostly. In fact, all the clean vocals on this are. The cleans really open things up to contrast the oppressiveness they can unleash at seemingly any moment. “Portals” cycles around with the heaviness and airiness eventually converging in the momentous way Chrch are fond of. This track demonstrates how sometimes the music doesn't necessarily take you from Point A to Point B. As the track shifts moods, vocal styles, and volumes - exploring sonic spaces - the listener feels rooted in place as all this happens around them. Powerless but to let the feelings, vibrations, and melodies simply flow through, one must then brace themselves.

Chrch at Northern Discomfort 2018. Photos by Krups Peredo / Abismo Blogzine.

Finally “Aether” wraps up the LP with the most Pallbearer-like feeling. (Maybe it's closer to Warning. I haven't heard them much. Maybe it's both.) For a while slothly doom “riffs” crawl towards what feels like inevitable doom. Rose's vocals softly add to a haunted, melancholic atmosphere amid cymbal crashes and heavy-handed crush. It does get quiet. Heartbreakingly so. Until almost out of nowhere fast and raging black metal fury sends everything else shattering into the void at the command of terrifyingly tortured vocals. The final minute or so of both the track and album strikes a balance between the fury and melancholy with superb atmosphere and a fitting fade to darkness.

For roughly 45 minutes Chrch (Rose, Chris Lemos (guitar/vocals), Ben Cathcart (bass), Adam Jennings (drums), and Karl Cordtz (guitar/vocals)) paint a rich sonic tapestry using light (that will consume us all) and darkness, melody and pure power, warmth and cold. It's textured and multi-layered. Doomed and despairing. Crawl out of your hole and let Chrch do the work of making you wish you had stayed in it. At least not without pulling Light Will Consume Us All back in with you.

Afsky - Sorg

By Steven Leslie. Good old depressive black metal! A genre with so much potential, sadly squandered by an avalanche of basement dwelling wannabe Xasthurs. Danish band Afsky entered the scene in 2015 with the release of their eponymous EP

By Steven Leslie.


Good old depressive black metal! A genre with so much potential, sadly squandered by an avalanche of basement dwelling wannabe Xasthurs. Danish band Afsky entered the scene in 2015 with the release of their eponymous EP, which did little to elevate the genre beyond that which had already been established. Now, three years later, main man Ole Pedersen Luk returns with Afsky’s debut album Sorg. My how the times have changed.

The first significant shift, and huge win for Afsky, is that Sorg journeys far beyond the realms of standard DSBM. In fact, the album would be better described as an atmospheric black metal record with depressive elements, particularly showcased in the vocal performance. The expansion of sound and vision allows Afsky to offer up a much more compelling and engrossing sound across the albums 48 minute run time. Coupled with a dramatic improvement in songwriting and a focus on crafting dynamic compositions, Sorg is a breath of fresh air in the genre.

Repetition has always been a critical component in both depressive and atmospheric black metal, a fact that is not lost on Luk. However, instead of simply repeating the same riff for hours, Luk starts with a base motif and layers and develops his riffs, adding new textures which propel the songs forward and suck listeners into his well-developed soundscapes. The clean production, by DSBM standards at least, allows Afsky’s compositional development and beautiful layering to really shine through. Coupled with the albums organic sound, the production provides the record’s seven tracks ample breathing room and highlights Luk’s compositional and instrumental development.

Afsky’s songwriting growth is demonstrated on a track like “Sorte vand”, with the opening riff injecting an air of hope, before allowing the sorrow devour the listener, all without any of the saccharine aftertaste many post-black metal bands leave in their wake. By injecting a little bit of light, Afsky makes their darkness all the more profound and impactful, a trick many Depressive and Atmospheric Black bands could learn from. Another standout is “Vættekongen” where a folky intro gives way to a gripping atmospheric black metal composition that reminds of Taake’s early, harsher sound. On top of this, Luk lays down an excellent vocal performance, perfectly balancing both sorrow and anger in every devastating rasp. The variation in riffs, compelling drumming and powerful vocals ensure that even nine minute songs like “Stjernerne” feel half their length, always a good sign for an album.

If there is one complaint, it falls down to the fact that the majority of the album plods along at the same mid-paced speed. While this isn’t noticeable on individual tracks, for old farts like myself who enjoy listening to entire albums all the way through, it does somewhat diminish the overall impact of the album. With a few tempo shifts added to the already drastically improved song compositions, Afsky could be a force to be reckoned with. Minor gripes aside, this really is a compelling addition to both the depressive and atmospheric black metal worlds and is well worth your time if you have any interest in either genre.