Thu 02 Jul 09 21:37:15 Re: Black Thai by cortez
Thu 02 Jul 09 20:13:14 Re: Pictures of your cats by Taff
Thu 02 Jul 09 20:11:51 Re: Pictures of your cats by The Shaman
Thu 02 Jul 09 20:06:28 Re: What pissed you off today? by The Shaman
Thu 02 Jul 09 19:42:21 Black Thai by The Shaman
2nd July 2009
Review: Ramesses 'Baptism Of The Walking Dead' 3" CDEP
Ah...tattooed arms, dirty beards, top grade weed, cult horror films, Egyptology, painfully loud Orange amps and the beautiful Dorset countryside yes, o' children of Tartarus, it's Ramesses time. This recently released 3 inch CD ep illustrates just how brutally powerful and stunningly original these stoned...
Author: Adam
27th June 2009
Interview: Yellowtooth
I first became aware of the sludge behemoth that is Yellowtooth when main man and also the founder of Orchestrated Misery Records Peter got in touch to tell me about his new band in the latter half of 2008. OK, I will say they don't offer anything new or ground breaking, but then they don't claim to and in their own words "We are not out to reinvent the wheel, but to jam, drink and play some tunes!". So if that's enough to wet your appetite, read the interview, then go and buy their debut 4 track demo of filthy downtuned despondency...
Author: Lee
24th June 2009
Review: Gruel - Double LP 09
Once upon a time, when the vile Conservative government was in power and I was a young man, crust punk ruled the underbelly of the underground. Anarchy, sold out by the commercialism of punk and inspired by the fiery rhetoric of Crass, seized the hearts and minds of a generation of drop-outs, who, like the real hippies before them in the 60s and 70s, lived on the fringes of capitalist society...
Author: Adam
23rd June 2009
Review: Gorse 'The Slumber of Artemis' CDEP 09
Calculon Records have an uncanny knack of finding some pretty sweet bands to release. To date the label have released product by bands such as Charger, Black Eye Riot, Sourvein, Church of Misery, Lazarus Blackstar, Blood Island Raiders...etc
Author: Ollie
22nd June 2009
Review: Thou / Gruel / Moloch - 1in12 Club, Bradford 19/06/09
Dig this crazy shit you dirty beatniks...a dope-laced Trans-Pennine road trip to the heart of the North's most infamous nest of anarcho-crust in order to witness three little doombands of differing brilliance but equal heaviness. Yay! So off we set in the big silver estate, upholstered in cat fur, blasting out Acrimony and Hawkwind, racing over the barren hills of the Lancs/Yorks border...
Author: Adam
21st June 2009
Photos: Thou, Gruel & Moloch
Photos online for Thou, Gruel & Moloch from the 1in12 Club, Bradford on Friday night, not as good as some as my past shots, but then breaking my fave lense just as Gruel were starting didn't help! Anyway, you can check them out at the links below.
Photos: Lee
20th June 2009
Review: Black Pyramid S/T CD 09
Every once in a while an album lands that is so drenched in power and passion that it almost seems to stop time for its duration. The Black Pyramid 7" released last year on Electric Earth Records was a huge slab of megalithic Sleepesque riffing that pointed towards greater things but I couldn't have anticipated how much further the band would be able to take their sound on their full length debut...
Author: Ollie
10th June 2009
Review: Yellowtooth - Demo 2008
Yellowtooth come growling and gurning out of Michigan City, Indiana, ripping out down-tuned metal-doom with a real spicy Southern flavour (although they're kind of from the Mid-West). Surly Hoosiers Henry on guitar, Ed on drums and Peter on bass and vocals all look like brutish inbred rednecks...
Author: Adam
2nd June 2009
Review: Catapult The Smoke 'Unearthed' CD 09
The blackened tendrils of the Vinum Sabbathi have snaked their way around an unwitting world over the last 40 years and it seems that the vines grow strong with the Fruit of the Doom in Sweden where the legacy of bands such as Candlemass, Count Raven, Spiritual Beggars and a million death metal bands almost make it the new spiritual home of the downtuned riff...
Author: Ollie
23rd May 2009
Review: Electric Wizard / Xela / The Freezing Fog - Academy 3, Manchester 15/05/09
Stop your feasting, o' blood-caked children of foulness, 'tis time to behold the big daddies of DOOM (no, not Saint Vitus). It's been a while since der Wizard have toured around fucked old Blighty and their presence in the North West has long been overdue...
Author: Adam
21st May 2009
Photos: Electric Wizard & Xela
Finally got the photos of Electric Wizard & Xela online from last Friday at The Academy 3, Manchester.
Photos: Lee
20th May 2009
Review: Sollubi 'At War With Decency' CD 09
Holy Hellfire!!! I'm willing to bet when Mister Iommi first spewed forth the Devil's riff some 40 years ago he had no idea how mutated and deviant his musical children would become this far down the line. Doom metal has become a multi tongued beast in its own right ranging from the psychedelic frippery of Trouble to the belching drone of SunnO)))...
Author: Ollie
19th May 2009
Review: Church Of Misery / Firebird / Charger - The Star & Garter, Manchester 14/05/09
Listen up you pinheads, I'm just gonna cut to the bands, no embellishment. Charger fired up and blasted off like a fuckin' atomic dragster, showering the booze-sodden masses in propane and devil cum. Short sweet stabs of aural adrenalin like 'Cult Verses Cunt' were made for nights like these...
Author: Adam
18th May 2009
Photos: Church Of Misery, Firebird & Charger
Photos from the amazing Church Of Misery, Firebird & Charger gig from last Thursday are now online and man what a night! Next up is the Electric Wizard photos from Friday, although bear with me on these as it'll probably be a few days before I get chance to sort them.
Photos: Lee
15th May 2009
Review: Kongh 'Shadows of The Shapeless' CD 09
Just the name Kongh evokes an imagine of some kind of primitive or mythical beast, even on the back of inlay the band refer to themselves as a 'three headed primate' and without hearing a single riff I already wanted to grab a hot blonde and climb to the roof of a tall building and beat my chest whilst yelling at the top of my voice, 'Koooooonggggghh'!
Author: Mark
14th May 2009
Interview: Griff from Sollubi, Rape-X & Land o'Smiles
Griff is a busy man indeed, not only is he guitarist with psychedelic doomers Sollubi, who recently released their punishing debut album 'At War With Decency' via Choking Hazard Records, he's also part of Power Electronics sicko's Rape-X and if that wasn't enough, Griff is also co-founder of Land o'Smiles Records...
Author: Lee
10th May 2009
Photos: Capitalist Casualties
Photos of Capitalist Casualties from their blistering gig at the 1in12 Club, Bradford last night are now online.
Photos: Lee
3rd May 2009
News: Upcoming Electric Earth releases
We're extremely thrilled to announce that the COUGH and ELDER vinyls are now available for pre-order.
Cough 'Sigillum Luciferi' 2xLP
Cough is a three man army from Richmond US that plays ultra heavy and monstrously slow doom with a groove. Double heavy vinyl that comes in a gatefold sleeve. Its a co-release with Forcefield (US) and Feast of Tentacles (UK) which means that every label only has a limited stock available of the total pressing of 500. ( 19,00)
Elder - S/T LP
Crushing and destroying everything in its path comes this album of these psychedelic doomers.
This is the vinyl version of their highly acclaimed debut full length album released earlier this year by MeteorCity. The artwork is re-coloured and the album is re-mastered for vinyl cutting by Mell Detmer (Sleep, Earth, Boris...) Comes in a heavy gatefold sleeve and pressed on 180 gr heavy vinyl. A run of 500 copies of which 100 with an orange/red swirl effect available of pre-order now. ( 14,00)
There's also a pre-order package for both releases. ( 30,00).
1st May 2009
Review: Khuda 'Ahura Mazdah' CDEP 08
Anyone keeping an eye on these hallowed webpages will have seen that an interview was conducted with this Leeds based two piece instrumental band this month, where their current EP 'Ahura Mazdah' was plugged. Having read said interview, it was with intrigue that the CD was placed on my stereo, conjuring up imagines of two mad scientist types with walls of amps creating twisted sounds...
Author: Mark
29th April 2009
Review: Firebird 'Grand Union' CD 09
Have you ever seen that programme Life on Mars why there guy in a coma thinks he's in 1973? This album is the musical equivalent of that. Despite Bill Steer's involvement in the advancement of modern metal by defining the sound of grindcore in both Napalm Death and Carcass it seems he is in full possession of an old school heart...
Author: Ollie
23rd April 2009
Review: Bombus S/T 7" 09
Bugger it, some bands really don't make it easy by creating a sound that really does defy description!!! This Swedish 3 piece from Gothenburg (who feature a guest drummer when performing live) are one of those special kind of bands that creates a unique sound without actually sucking a big one...in fact, this is fucking awesome stuff...
Author: Ollie
22nd April 2009
Review: The Under 'Mercurial' CD 09
Progressive Metal... The name itself can strike fear into even the most open minded of rock fans, conjuring images of beards, cardigans, glasses, too many notes, 7/8 time signatures and the ability to judge and look down on all other forms of music from the lofty heights of a Dream Theatre shirt...
Author: Mark
18th April 2009
Review: Unearthly Trance / Ramesses / Lazarus Blackstar - The Star & Garter, Manchester 15/04/09
I still have a ringing in my ears, two days after the event. I blame it on machismo I had plugs in my pocket but I felt too effeminate sticking them in. Anyway, consider it official - Lazarus Blackstar are indeed the heaviest band in the UK. We heard 'Son Of Sorrow' booming out as we approached Fairfield Street in the car...
Author: Adam
17th April 2009
Photos: Unearthly Trance, Ramesses & Lazarus Blackstar
Photos from Wednesday nights gig at The Star & Garter, Manchester are now online for Unearthly Trance, Ramesses & Lazarus Blackstar and man, was that one loud as fuck night, glad I wore my ear plugs or I'd still be suffering now!
Photos: Lee
11th April 2009
Photos: Manatees & Overmars
Photos from Tuesday nights gig at Cafe Saki, Manchester are now online for Manatees and Overmars.
Photos: Lee
10th April 2009
Review: Church Of Misery 'Houses Of The Unholy' CD 09
This little disc of pure heavy rock heaven should be played at no less than 50 wattage output, and you should ideally listen to it in your underpants, throwing androgynous rock star shapes in front of a mirror, with fresh blood on your chest and face...
Author: Adam
6th April 2009
Interview: Khuda
There seems to be an influx of 2 piece instrumental bands rising from the underground of late and Leeds based Khuda are no exception who use just a guitar, drums and a mass of amps, cabs and effects to hone their hypnotic sound. Curious to know more about what lies in the underbelly of this band, I fired some questions over to guitarist and self confessed amp junkie Tom...
Author: Lee
3rd April 2009
Review: Aidan Baker + Tim Hecker 'Fantasma Parastasie' CD 08
Here is a collaborative endeavour from drone specialist Aidan Baker (better known as one half of duo Nadja) and experimental electronic sound artist Tim Hecker. And this builds on both artists creative strengths in an almost sym-biotic way that ebbs and flows between each contributors respective fields in a master class of joint effort...
Author: Sloan
2nd April 2009
Interview: Dead Existence
It is from the twisting alleys and darkened Dickensian filth of our capital that the subjects of our most recent interview claim to call home. Dead Existence will be a new name to most but are a steady live band on the London circuit, with a sound somewhere between the most vicious back wood sludge and good old English doom groove...
Author: Sloan
1st April 2009
Review: Gathiens 'Nesh' CD 09
Well let's get that first hurdle over with, Gathiens are post-metal! It's a term that once inspired excitement and anticipation at the chance to hear something genuinely original, back when Pelican and Mono were carving the niche that so many bands have since diluted...
Author: Sloan
31st March 2009
Photos: Gruel & Khuda
Photos from Sunday nights gig at The Yorkshire House, Lancaster are now online for Khuda and Gruel who were once again near on impossible to photograph due to the amount of fog they use, luckily though I managed to salvage a handful but man, what a performance they put on!
Photos: Lee
28th March 2009
Review: Unearthly Trance/Ramesses Split 10" 09
Raise your fucking fist aloft and make the Devil sign, you down-trodden dog show your love for the dark metal sludge of Beelzebub and his stinking screaming minions this is your only salvation...
Author: Adam
25th March 2009
Review: Sons Of Otis 'Exiled' CD 09
Fucking wow. My cerebral cortex is melting in a cranial orgasm of riff-based space sludge. Stoners everywhere - buy this. Toronto based trio Sons Of Otis have been jamming around since 1992, and in that time have put out a stash of fabulous tripped-out tortoise-tempo albums...
Author: Adam
24th March 2009
Review: Locrian 'Drenched Lands' CD 09
Dark dark noise that emanates slowly and rises like a black fog from the decaying anus of the mummified corpse of your cheating ex-lover. Locrian are among a growing scene of artists (Oakeater, Wolves in the Throne Room, Velnias and Nihilist, to name just a few) that represent a new wave...
Author: Adam
11th March 2009
Interview: Iron Hearse
I first heard Iron Hearse about 3 years ago and was very impressed with their no nonsense, heads down doom and roll sound. Since then they've been through various ups and downs but keep plugging away with steely determination. I caught up with mainman Grant to shoot the shit...
Author: Ollie
10th March 2009
Review: Trap Them 'Seizures In Barren Praise' CD 08
Jesus-fuck-Mary-and-Joseph...this is fucking dirty, dirty grind, punk, metal!
Take Nasum's high velocity head spinning grind, that very same grind that breathed new life into the whole genre and made it seriously bloody exciting again after it's mid-nineties stint in the punk wilderness...
Author: Sloan
9th March 2009
Review: Diagonal S/T CD 08
It was the first time you took LSD, during your second year at university at some art course party in a cramped little terrace house. All you remember of your trip was the heavily patterned carpet snaking up your leg and the young girl sitting next to you eating grape nuts through her beak...
Author: Sloan
8th March 2009
Review: Evisorax 'Enclave' CDEP 08
Is it just me or does anyone else break out in an anxious sweat when the subject of modern day death/grind core is vomited up? It's an irritation that gets right under my skin, and when I agreed to review the latest release by British death/grind core mob Evisorax I tried to dissect what exactly it is that gets me so wound up...
Author: Sloan
7th March 2009
Review: Queen Elephantine 'Kailash' CD 09
Stoner droner mystics Queen Elephantine, the oft travelling Lords of (sonic) Lethargy, have produced yet another striking opus of snaking whirring trip rock (that isn't actually 'rock') that hums and glides through your addled brain like the dawning realisation that you are imprisoned in a cage of your own creation, from whence only you can free yourself...
Author: Adam
22nd February 2009
Review: Rise Of The Simians 'The Cursed Law of Thelema' CDEP 09
I was always taught that using a clich้ showed a lack of original thought and an example of an over used opinion. With that in mind I sat down to put finger to keyboard about 'The Cursed Law Of Thelema', the latest demo from Hastings sludge/doom crew Rise Of The Simians...
Author: Mark
21st February 2009
Interview: Stone Turner
I've been following Jack Dickinson's musical progress for years now so when a CD arrived on my doorstep of his latest incarnation Stone Turner that blew me away I figured it was time for a chat with one of the nicest and hardest working guys in rock. I fired a few questions over and to say his answers are enthusiastic and in depth is an understatement so get yourself a cup of tea and read on...then buy the CD...
Author: Ollie
20th February 2009
Interview: Queen Elephantine
Queen Elephantine could be described more as a collective than a band and are certainly not one to shy away from experimenting, not only with their sound, but also with their constantly rotating line-up which see's members, past and present, come and go with every new release and with it brings a whole wealth of influences and ideologies to the mix. Intrigued to know more about the enigma that is Queen Elephantine, I caught up with their main protagonist Indy...
Author: Lee
19th February 2009
Review: The:Egocentrics 'Mystic Initiation' Demo 08
Jam band! Two words that really should strike fear into the hearts of most self respecting music fan. It brings to mind painful images of a bunch of middle aged acid casualties noodling away in some ego massaging Grateful Dead style wank off for hours...
Author: Ollie
18th February 2009
Interview: Grimpen Mire
I only recently discovered the formidable force of Grimpen Mire when they unleashed their 2nd recording 'Death On A Moor' as a free download and was instantly blown away by their unrelenting take on Crust riddled Doom, so if your reading this and haven't got a copy, what are you waiting for! Intrigued to know more about what makes this band tick I fired off some questions to Guitarist Jim and Bass/Vocalist Paul...
Author: Lee
17th February 2009
Review: Stone Turner 'Session 1 (Crucial Truth)' Demo 09
There are some talented fuckers out there!!! Jack Dickinson has been kicking around the scene for some time and never seems to get the breaks. After playing in a couple of ill fated bands in Cornwall he relocated to London and formed the heavy, psych blues power trio Stubb...
Author: Ollie
12th February 2009
Review: Oaks 'bravo!' CD 08
Holy Buzz!!! I'm finding myself increasingly amazed nowadays how many frankly amazing bands are out there operating without any kind of label backing who should be huge if there was any justice in the world...
Author: Ollie
5th February 2009
Article: Adam's Five Greatest Moments In Film Ever
Q. What defines a great moment in film?
A. When you can't look away when your eyes are fixed on the screen and everything else in your life is temporarily forgotten. The moment absorbs you, you are lost in it. That is a great moment my friend. Here are my top five...
Author: Adam
4th February 2009
Photos: Wolves In The Throne Room, They Are Cowards, Hammers, Stuntcock Big Band
Photos from Sunday nights gig at The Star & Garter are now online for Wolves In The Throne Room, They Are Cowards, Hammers, Stuntcock Big Band.
Photos: Lee
- VIEW WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM PHOTOS >>>
- VIEW THEY ARE COWARDS PHOTOS >>>
- VIEW HAMMERS PHOTOS >>>
- VIEW STUNTCOCK BIG BAND PHOTOS >>>
2nd February 2009
Review: Grimpen Mire 'Death On The Moor' EP 08
Shaman fact 1: Grimpen Mire was the fictional death bog featured in Arthur Conan Doyle's classic novel 'Hound Of The Baskervilles'. Shaman fact 2: Grimpen Mire are blackened ear candy for any worshipper of real heavy metal - I've not stopped listening to this since I downloaded it...
Author: Adam
1st February 2009
Interview: Electric Red
Belfast quartet Electric Red's demo landed with a hand written note to say they'd only been going for 6 months and recorded the CD in their rehearsal room. Fearing the worst I stuck it on and was immediately blown away by not only the quality of the music but the massive production...
Author: Ollie
31st January 2009
Interview: Nekrasov
I happened upon Nekrasov in the way that many people do these days, via mutual friends on the polarised Myspace. The shitty Myspace Player served well and I obtained "Form of Thought Through Beast" & "Into The No-Mans Sphere Of The Ancient Days"...
Author: Jas
30th January 2009
Review: Beehoover 'Heavy Zooo' CD 08
Ah you just have to love those crazy Germans!!! It's often been said that the Germans don't have a sense of humour. This is simply not true, they have a very keenly defined sense of humour...it's just not shared by the rest of the known world...
Author: Ollie
29th January 2009
Article: Sitting in the Woods on Acid Listening to Gong
A witty, yet revealing article submitted by Adam who reflects upon his teenage years, music & drugs which I'm sure most of this webzines readers will be able to relate to in some way, so read on to take a glimpse into Adam's life where he was introduced to the Butthole Surfers, Gong & LSD...
I am now approaching the middle of my life and I often find myself reminiscing about my drug experiences. Not that I've given up wanting to alter my state, I still have alcohol (often) and a smoke (sometimes), it's just that I had to knock it on the head before it knocked me on the head...
Author: Adam
28th January 2009
Review: Taint 'Secrets And Lies' CD 08
Some albums come out of Left-field and leave you breathless. For me Taint's debut 'The Ruin Of Nova Roma' was such an album, an angular swaggering record full of attitude that bordered on furious noise and spaced out prog and remained on the stereo for a frankly obscene amount of time...
Author: Mark
27th January 2009
Review: Deville 'Come Heavy Sleep' CD 08
Some albums don't offer themselves up that easily. Some of them are just completely unfathomable whereas some, such as this debut full length effort from Deville, are a bit harder to figure out and play their cards close to their chests...
Author: Ollie
26th January 2009
Review: A Death Cinematic 'A Parable on the Aporia of Vengeance...' CD 09
It's always good to see artists put a bit of effort into their work and this new self-released double album by A Death Cinematic certainly isn't lacking in the blood, sweat and tears department...
Author: Sloan
24th January 2009
Photos & Review: Firebird, Charger, Space Witch
New photos and a review for Firebird, Charger & Space Witch from Thursday night at The Rigger, Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Author: Adam
Photos: Lee
22nd January 2009
Review: SerpentCult 'Weight Of Light' CD 08
The Sleeping Shaman welcome's a new contributor in the shape of Mark who's just submitted his 1st review for SerpentCult's 'Weight Of Light' CD, so read on to see what he had to say...
Doom or Sludge? The band favour Doom where as most reviewers put them under Sludge. Whatever genre you put them in it conjures up recycled Black Sabbath riffs and pale, hairy, shouty blokes. Serpent Cult aim to challenge that preconception...
Author: Mark
21st January 2009
Interview: Chickenhawk
After many delays the Chickenhawk self titled debut was released last year on Sound Devastation Records and a damn fine slice of rifftastic madness it is too. I caught up with guitarist Rob to fire a few questions over the fence to see what makes these guys tick...
Author: Ollie
16th January 2009
Review: Electric Red 'Ion' CD 08
The note I got with this release from Belfast based unit claims they've only been around for about six months and recorded this three track release themselves in their rehearsal room...
Author: Ollie
12th January 2009
Review: Grails 'Take Refuge in Clean Living' CD 08 & 'Doomsdayer's Holiday' CD 08
2008 saw Grails release two records, the first an ep ('Take Refuge in Clean Living') and then their third album proper ('Doomsdayer's Holiday'). First up we have the ep, and it is evident Grails have advanced beyond their roots in instrumental post-rock and out into the great blue uncharted yonder...
Author: Sloan
11th January 2009
Article: 2008 Album Review
So dear readers of The Shaman it has come to that time of the year, when we reflect on the past 12 months we have just lived and hastily bury it in the memory. The good times, not so good and down right fucking miserable times we have lived...
Author: Sloan
10th January 2009
Review: Mills Of God 'Call Of The Eastern Moon' CD 08
Krautdoom herbmongers Mills Of God are three men who love their heavy riffs like William Burroughs loved junk and not one of 'em sings. They don't need to. They've got their guitars and drums...
Author: Adam