Fuzzy remembers when SPLENDIDULA released "Somnus" last year and really enjoyed the heavy riffs and especially the band's unique mix of vocals, with female-fronted singing set at odds with screams from the guitarist. So it's good news to hear that the vinyl has just received a repress from Argonauta Records, and you can grab a code below to add the album to your Bandcamp collection. Listen to "Somnus" by Splendidula:
From the band:
Splendidula is an atmospheric sludge/doom collective from Belgium that was formed in 2008. Big riffs meet pounding beats with atmospheric passages that will lead you into a wild, heavy and psychedelic wonderland, while the bewitched chants by vocalist Kristien and the guitarist’s harsh screams create a unique vocal contrast. After releasing their self-titled debut album in 2013, their acclaimed second album 'Post Mortem' was released in 2018 by Inverse Records from Finland and the Belgian Dust & Bones Records. Following an impressive series of shows In Belgium and The Netherlands, France and Switzerland, supporting acts such as Wiegedood, Alunah, Psychonaut and Wolvennest, Splendidula inked a worldwide record deal with Italian powerhouse label Argonauta Records for the release of their third album 'Somnus' in 2021. The album was mixed by Tim De Gieter at Much Luv Studio (Amenra, Brutus, etc.) and mastered by Grammy Award winning engineer Alan Douches at West West Side Music. The album was very well received both by fans and (inter)national press, and was also released in South America later by Ruidoteka Records.
Redeem your code -- and be sure to select "Add this item to my collection" so that it appears in your Bandcamp app: https://splendidula.bandcamp.com/yum
Just released on Bandcamp is the new album "Zero Kelvin" from Hungary's VANTA. I've always enjoyed Vanta's no-holds-barred approach to sludge and their fearlessness when it comes to trying new directions, and "Zero Kelvin" continues Vanta's reach into new sonic territory. Guest vocals, acoustic guitar, cello (!!), and spoken word -- Vanta is completely fearless in their approach to sludge. Listen to "Zero Kelvin" on Bandcamp:
"Zero Kelvin" lights the fire with a 13-minute opener, which begins with acoustic guitar but that is just an intro to an explosion of sound. Next up is a previous release, "Church of the Holy Shit" which captures the epic guitar tone that Vanta has always delivered, along with a background of church organs. This is song is downright catchy in addition to smacking your face with broken pew.
photo by Ádám Bálint
"Feel Alive" and "Invisible Parasite" contain some mind-blowing guitar solos, and the cello on the last & title song "Zero Kelvin" is surely one of the most unique moments of any sludge album this year.
photo by Ádám Bálint
Hands-down, "Zero Kelvin" is Vanta's best work yet, and delivers a solid album with exciting experimentation that adds to the music rather than distracting from it. Be sure to dive into Vanta's back catalog if you have yet to discover everything that Vanta has to offer. (Especially check out the split with HER HIGHNESS.)
From the band:
Zero Kelvin is a collection of dystopian lullabies. A journey through landscapes of disphorian metaphors. A bottle filled with the frozen water of the black sonic river.
We are Vanta, a metal duo of long-time friends from Budapest, Hungary. We named the band after one of the darkest human made materials in order to reflect our musical intentions. We play a mixture of sludge, doom, and stoner metal. We spice our music with odd time signatures (used recreationally) and a guitar tuned to the depths of hell. We are pushing the limits of our instruments experimenting with heaviness, highly inspired by beer.
Has it already been nearly a year since Montreal's bass-only SEUM crashed onto the sludge scene? This trio has managed to keep their music in our ears since then with a killer cover of Prince, and a 7" vinyl split with FATIMA. And on June 11, the band drops their new album "Winterized" which I'm here to preview.
"Winterized" explodes with 7 tracks. The opener "Sea Sick Six" delivers the warning that Seum has kicked up their songwriting and production game from last year's EP. We've got new bass and vocal effects, and somehow the bass attack has gotten even louder -- although I have no idea how that was possible. There's an extra layer of filthy riffs on this album that make these songs even more repeatable than ever. The tracks are a little longer this time around, too.
Next up is the lead single "Life Grinder" which you can hear on Bandcamp:
#3 is "Winter of Seum" which continues the theme in titles from last year's "Summer of Seum" and slows things down quite a bit from the previous 2 songs. But fear not -- this one is just as thick and heavy and mind-crushing. This song definitely makes you reconsider what sounds that a bass is capable of producing.
"Broken Bones" shows off the band's ability to get downright funky, while giving the vocals a chance to really stand out.
"666" provides a short instrumental interlude, and "Black Snail Volcano" sounds like the anchor to the album before wrapping things up with a cover song. "Black Snail Volcano" is dark without being depressing, heavy without forgetting the riff, and seals the deal that SEUM has brought their music up to a new level.
And you can never go wrong with The Ramones! Seum brings their bass-only sludge attack to "Pet Sematary" which I will describe in one word: "EPIC" !! Fuzzy is a huge fan of cover songs, and Seum give this one a life of its own. Killer! What a great way to end an album.
Seum is a guitar-less 3-piece that delivers killer riffs, pounding drums, and brutal vocals. Don't miss their new album!
"Winterized" will release on June 11 on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms. Follow the band to get the news at https://seumtheband.bandcamp.com
SEUM is from Montreal with members:
Fred - Drums
Gaspard - Vocals
Piotr - Bass
How (and why) to use Bandcamp codes for EFFECTIVE (and free!) promotion of your music. Fuzzy explains it all right here --
Support the Underground when you join The Swamp Krewe! You'll get over 151 digital albums of heavy music with the option for Swag and a CD every month with free shipping. Get in The Swamp at https://www.TheSwampRecords.com
Fuzzy Cracklins
Promoter of the Heavy Underground
https://www.fuzzycracklins.com
The Swamp Records
Vinyl, CD, tapes, and The Swamp Krewe
https://www.theswamprecords.com
How (and why) to use Bandcamp codes for EFFECTIVE (and free!) promotion of your music. Fuzzy explains it all right here --
What better way to send off 2020 with a big "Fuck you!" than with 2 nasty tracks on a 7" split with a 28 page zine to back them up? SEUM and FÁTIMA drop covers of each band's songs on December 24. The digital download on Bandcamp includes the zine in PDF format, and there will be a limited number of 7" vinyls with custom popup art by comic artist Gorka Uztarroz.
Seum kicks it off with their cover of Fátima's "Saliva Bath" and then Fátima returns the favor with their cover of Seum's "Raining Bricks." The biggest difference from the originals to the covers is with the vocals, with Seum slathering gritty dirty vocals on their song, and Fátima dropping a grunge interpretation.
To me, a great split not only sounds great, but makes you want to dig into the other band's music. For me, hearing the sludgy take of "Saliva Bath" with its drawn-out ending was enough to get me to head over to Fátima's "Turkish Delights" from earlier this year, and hear the original. Much more in a grunge style and got me listening to the whole album.
Don't miss the 28-page PDF zine included with the digital download! Art, lyrics, backstory, inspiration for the split, detailed recording info -- this is a music lover's delight. There's even a section dedicated to the album's art and cover.
Each band has made their cover into their own creation. 2 great covers, a killer zine, and a popup 7" make for a great send-off to a shitty year!
Follow the bands to get the split & 7" vinyl when it drops on December 24 --
SWAMP KREWE PROMOTION PACKAGE!! Fuzzy has over 200 super fans, bloggers, podcasters, reviewers, and DJs in The Swamp Krewe subscription on Bandcamp. Send album codes to fuzzycracklins@gmail.com and if your music is KILLER then I'll share them with The Swamp Krewe. They have a lot of their own followers, so your album will get into the collections & feeds of many Bandcampers very quickly. It's FREE! Contact fuzzycracklins@gmail.com
CD OF THE MONTH MAILERS!! Fuzzy mails out over 100 CDs to super fans, podcasters, reviewers, and DJs in the USA and around the world every month. They love to hear about new bands and new music, so send Fuzzy your stickers, printed album codes, promo CDs, whatever you want. Any number is good. Fuzzy is already paying the postage, and The Swamp Krewe loves swag and frequently posts their swag photos to Instagram, so contact fuzzycracklins@gmail.com to make it happen! Bands, labels, podcasters, radio show DJs, bloggers, reviewers, get at me! It's FREE!
Fuzzy loves grunge. It saved rock n' roll by stripping it back down to its basics. Fuzzy also loves sludge. Because it's so nasty and raw. At some point during last night's post-Happy Hour alcoholic haze, I stumbled upon the debut EP from Russia's THUNDER VOLT. I'll keep it real and say that upon awakening this morning, I had no idea how this album ended up in my Bandcamp collection. So I figured it had been placed there by Drunk Fuzzy, and I've been listening to it all day. So much grungy goodness, but with a raw sludge edge to it. Check out the sludge grunge of Thunder Volt on Bandcamp:
Hey, I love the full-blown sludge of CRUST and VANTA, and especially the recent split from MEGALITH LEVIATHAN with DEKONSTRUKTOR but I also love Nirvana, Alice In Chains, and Soundgarden. And I simply cannot describe Thunder Volt as anything except an original and exciting blend of sludge and grunge. Like what Nirvana would sound like if they had gotten just a little nastier, or what Crust would sound like if they dialed it down a bit. The result is simply killer.
Fuzzy's favorite track: "You let me down" but with 4 great songs, I have just set this EP on "replay" all day.
From the band (Guitar/Vocals Yaroslav Novitsky):
The group's history is simple. About a year ago, under the pressure of a difficult psychological experience, I decided that I would play Stoner Doom Metal, as I had dreamed since 2010. I wrote an ad on a music forum and found a bass player. We were looking for a drummer for several months and during that time I wrote 4 songs that were included in the first EP. When we found the drummer and finally started rehearsing, the whole Covid-19 thing started happening in the world. We sat in isolation for a long time and as soon as we started rehearsing again, the bassist decided to stop playing music and left the band. For about a month we were looking for a new bass player and after reviewing about eight candidates, we decided to take Sergey. All this time I've been writing new songs and if the higher powers want it, our new album will be ready this fall. The album will be called "Wanted man" and, of course, we will immediately post it on our Bandcamp page.
Thunder Volt is from Moscow with members:
Guitar/Vocals: Yaroslav Novitsky
Drums: Alex Frolow
Bass: Sergey Kokin
Follow Thunder Volt band on Bandcamp at https://thundervolt1.bandcamp.com
SWAMP KREWE PROMOTION PACKAGE!! Fuzzy has over 150 super fans in The Swamp Krewe subscription on Bandcamp. Send album codes to fuzzycracklins@gmail.com and if your music is KILLER then I'll share them with The Swamp Krewe. They have a lot of their own followers, so your album will get into the collections & feeds of many Bandcampers very quickly. It's FREE! Contact fuzzycracklins@gmail.com
CD OF THE MONTH MAILERS!! Fuzzy mails out 100 CDs to super fans in the USA and around the world every month. They love to hear about new bands and new music, so send Fuzzy your stickers, printed album codes, promo CDs, whatever you want. Any number is good. Fuzzy is already paying the postage, and The Swamp Krewe loves swag and frequently posts to Instagram, so contact fuzzycracklins@gmail.com to make it happen! Bands, labels, podcasters, radio show DJs, bloggers, reviewers, get at me! It's FREE!
Before we get started, can you spot Fuzzy in the album cover?? Right on!! Go check out the artist Paul Winck at https://www.instagram.com/paulwinck/
Things start right with some nice distortion and feedback, and then a heavy bass riff drops, the screaming commences, and it just gets heavier from there. Bass riff? Yea, Seum doesn't bother with guitars. It's all bass, baby. Listen to the pre-release single "Silence et Crasse" on Bandcamp:
BTW, "SEUM" means Venom in Arabic and is French slang for disappointment and frustration. Matches their music perfectly!
Fuzzy is always saying how much he digs foreign language songs. So many great stoner bands sing in Spanish, and The Swamp's GREEN HOG sings in Russian while DEATHGANG sings in Indonesian (!!), and Seum sings "Silence et Crasse" in French. Dang, I didn't realize French could sound so dirty! Which is to say, I love it! Isn't French supposed to be the language of love? Not when Seum has their way with it.
Up next is the eponymous track "Seum" which carries forward the bass-heavy riffs, sludge vocals, albeit this time it's back to English. Which sounds just as good as the French, so no worries there.
#3 is "Super Tanker" which slows things down, but keeps it just as heavy. This one is a real slow burner that picks up the pace as it goes on. Great stuff.
"Diplodokush" gets us past the halfway mark and features the dirtiest vocals on the album. This song is a "sludge ballad" with it's focus on the vocals and drawn-out riffs. By now, either you are in a mind meld with Seum, or else you miss the guitars and this ain't the band for you. For me, Seum has found a killer sound with their bass-only formula. Check out the video for Diplodokush on YouTube:
It was while listening to "St. Catherine" that I realized something about Seum that I like so much. I've always had a thing for 2-piece bands (check out my comp "Sticks & Strings vol. 1") and in a way, Seum is a 2-piece band, in the sense that the music is the 2-piece, and then they add on the vocals. I love the raw energy of a 2-piece and this band takes advantage of that.
"Raining Bricks" ends things with some downright funky groovy riffage, and I gotta say, this album ended waaaaaaaay too quickly. I'm definitely going to be hitting the REPLAY button a lot on this one.
Let's wrap it up: Fuzzy digs this band! Ultra heavy, quick riffage, and totally nasty. Right on!
Fuzzy's favorite track: I gotta go with Super Tanker, although the French in Silence et Crasse is pretty damn great too. No weak tracks on here.
SWAMP KREWE PROMOTION PACKAGE!! Fuzzy has over 125 super fans in The Swamp Krewe subscription on Bandcamp. Send album codes to fuzzycracklins@gmail.com and if your music is KILLER then I'll share them with The Swamp Krewe. They have a lot of their own followers, so your album will get into the collections & feeds of many Bandcampers very quickly. It's FREE! Contact fuzzycracklins@gmail.com
CD OF THE MONTH MAILERS!! Fuzzy mails out over 75 CDs to super fans in the USA every month. They love to hear about new bands and new music, so send Fuzzy your stickers, printed album codes, promo CDs, whatever you want. Any number is good. Fuzzy is already paying the postage, and The Swamp Krewe loves swag and frequently posts to Instagram, so contact fuzzycracklins@gmail.com to make it happen! Bands, labels, podcasters, radio show DJs, bloggers, reviewers, get at me! It's FREE!
Thundering in from Thunder Bay, Canada is the live demo from SHATTERHORN. These five tracks will shatter your ears with the raw heavy pounding riffs while tripping you out with extended psychedelic guitar solos and hard-hitting powerful vocals. The best part? This was recorded live, and it gives you an idea of how good this band must be at a show. Check out SHATTERHORN:
Favorite track? Not an easy pick, but "Captain Kirk's Bastard Armada" has all the heavy psych and dirty noise this band can deliver along with their signature vocals and lyrics. I really dig this one! The extended guitar solo in "Witchland" is also killer.
It doesn't take a leap of faith to know SHATTERHORN must kick ass at their live show, so if we survive the cornona pandemic, all you Canadians get out there and check these guys out!
SHATTERHORN is from Thunder Bay, Canada with members:
Josh Therriault - Vocals
Louis Zucchiatti - Guitar
Rob Hibberd - Bass
TJ Gunnell - Drums
From the band:
From Thunder Bay, Ontario, CA, Shatterhorn is a Heavy Psychedelic Rock four-piece with diverse musical influences wrapped up in a thick coat of sludge.
Blues + doom + sludge is a combination of tags that should have you running to hit that PLAY button. Heavy doom with a rough edge and bluesy riffs is what you get on the new album HEROD from Poland's o.d.r.a. Check it out:
Track 5 "Chuj To Kojo" might be the most bluesy track on the album, so jump there if you want to hear where these guys lay down the doom with blues riffs.
There is some really incredible guitar work going on here. "Derby Heroda" is probably my favorite song on the album, and it includes a totally wild guitar solo.
The vocals are sludge so either that's your thing or it isn't. I dig them and they fit the music perfectly. There's a pain and anguish and that's where the music is at so the singing is a good fit. And the singing is in Polish which sounds great to me with this music. There's a lo-fi fuzzed-out effect to the singing that adds even more strain and edginess.
I'm a huge fan of albums which have a sonic flow from start to finish, and HEROD is all over that. Some of the tracks even blend right into each other with only a cut for the track times. This album takes you on an aural journey through various levels of darkness and the album is like a book with the chapters all in the right order. I had to keep checking the album page to see that I was now listening to a new song.
CIA Hippie Mind Control new EP "This is What We Do"
It's only 4 songs and 15 minutes, but this EP contains some of the very best black thrash metal there is. I would call it "doom thrash" or "thrash doom" although I don't think either of those is a thing. But here's the deal -- this is extreme doom with all its pain and anger, but at no point does it ever get anywhere near drone or atmospheric or synth or any of that. In fact, that is what I enjoy the most about this band's music -- it is the energy. This is full force thrash doom, or extreme metal as I think I am supposed to call it.
You probably already knew I was going to love this. CIA Hippie Mind Control had a track from their debut EP on my doom sludge comp Opium Warlock's Dungeon of Darkness, and more recently they recorded a brand new song for Crow and Poe my album with all new music inspired by the poetry and prose of Edgar Allan Poe. So yea -- I was gonna dig this. And I do.
CIA Hippie Mind Control is Chad Rauschenberger (WERE-JAGUARS) and Greg Kohler (CRUCIATION). They are based in Portland, Oregon.
Some say that French is the language of love. Latin is the language of science. And Fuzzy Cracklins says Spanish is the language of fuzz. Listen to the stream and read the full review by Fuzzy Cracklins of Humanotone's self-titled stoner doom album.......
