Album Review- Druganaut -'Druganaut'

Location: Newcastle, UK

From the thunderous sludge of low-end pioneers Iron Monkey to the cosmic freak outs of Welsh legends Acrimony, the Brits have always somewhat of an edge on their European and American peers in terms of producing proper gritty, gnarly stoner/doom bands.You wouldn't expect much less from the isle that birthed Sabbath  ,but even then, the UK underground scene is an embarrassment of riches at times.From the bleak complexity  of HARK, to the off the wall rumblings of bands like Valfader and Wolfshead, it seems there's definitely  been something quite strong and possibly illegal  being funneled into the water/Carling over the last couple of years.Now another bunch of down tuned miscreants have arrived to pound your eardrums, drink all your good beer and probably fuck your girlfriend as soon as you've fallen asleep.Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Geordie monsters Druganaut, and their monolithic debut self  titled album.

From the opening chords of 'Smoke The Dead', its very clear we're not fucking around here:Druganaut are the real deal.No cute attempts at 'the vintage sound'.No silly fantasy lyrics(apart from the pervy, sexual kind, but more on that later) and absolutely no attempt to placate the Metal Hammer set with watered down pop choruses.This is heavy as balls, hard hitting stoner metal in the vein of Crowbar or early Down, a wicked riposte to a decade of Toni And Guy groomed posers with Washburn guitars and Top Shop Metallica Ts. Druganaut's ace in the hole is front man Craig Relf, a man who sounds like he gargles broken glass and whiskey first thing in the morning as a warm up.If Relf were to recite One Direction lyrics as poetry, it would still sound scary as fuck, and its his throaty contributions that stand out ,investing every note with soulful invective and earthy conviction.Lyrically, Relf imbues songs with a vein of black humour and sinister storytelling nous,coming across as both darkly colloquial and menacing as hell.

That's not to marginalize the rest of the band of course, and credit goes to guitarists Kyle Partridge and Adam Sheriff for some of the grooviest, catchiest riffs we've heard from a band of this ilk in quite some time.Witness the elephantine boogie of 'Carradine's Closet', a poor-taste but high gain  tribute to the late B-Movie legend, or the sinister intro to 'Sober Again' , and be reminded just why you fell in love with this kind of music in the first place.Granted, not every track is a classic('Sex Face' is just a little overcooked and doesn't really fit with the rest of the tracks in my honest opinion) but for the most part  'Druganaut'  is a great collection of songs, a steroidal rhythm section and strong production holding the whole thing together.

If,like me,you find latter day Down and COC utterly disappointing, and miss bands like Raging Speedhorn in your life, you could do far worse than giving 'Druganaut' a listen.Weighty, weedy grooves and planet sized riffing,it's time to shake your bones . . .

Rating:8/10

For fans of: Crowbar, Down, Raging Speedhorn, Two Tales Of Woe

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/druganautband

Band Profile: https://www.facebook.com/druganautband/app_2405167945

Album Review, Badtrip Surfdeath

Here is a review SERIOUSLY over due! Badtrip Surfdeath have been waiting for this for some time and I hope they will be pleased with what I produce. This is a very interesting record: quite well produced with excellent musicianship that demonstrates a dedication to the kind of music they play (wait 'til you hear it and you'll see what I mean). These guys hail from Brazil, a place that I'm gradually learning has a take on metal that is very much its own. Inspired by the record itself, I'm going to do the whole review as a single paragraph stream of consciousness, with the exception of this paragraph of course. So let's do it!

"Nunca e Tarde as 6 da Tarda" is reminiscent of 'War Pigs', with its air-raid siren opening. Quickly it goes anywhere other than a Sabbath direction, with dissonant Hardcore riffing and Black Metal style blast beats. It's all over in little over a minute, which is more than can be said for "Sambinha Black Metal" (I love when little coincidences prove my suspicions correct), which is a double riff motor that chugs to life and quickly dies to the sound of mellow applause. Track 3 is the cheeky sounding "Super Pra Frentex". I'd love to know what these titles mean, I can imagine I would have a greater insight into the music if I did. This one is a little more substantial than its short brothers; a whopping 2.52 on the clock! The pace and the tongue-in-cheeky vibe bring Dead Kennedys to mind. In at number 4 is "Vinhas e Black (Mas Nao Sabe)". I hope the band will forgive the poorly transcribed titles. This is an interesting blend of very modern and very old-school metal techniques: think a young Motorhead taking a Death Metal direction. "X-Lava" is some pure distilled, no-frills modern Hardcore, complete with skillful mid-song tempo changes and heavily distorted bass. "Nao Consigo Comecar" returns to the Dead Kennedys vibe, but with a hint of High on Fire about it, a trend which continues onto the next track, "Psychodelic World". The names I can read are extremely evocative, and the next is no different. "Surfing Tsunami" pulls out all the trad-doom stops and gives them a Badtrip Surfdeath twist. Definitely a standout track on the record. Finally we get to the concluding track and it feels like no time has past at all! "Tornado do Odio" is the longest track on record at a measly 3.11, and it's back into the traditional metal stylings to see us out. That, ladies and gentlemen, was Badtrip Surfdeath...fuck me, that was intense!

Rating: 8/10

For Fans of: High on Fire, Melvins, Dead Kennedys.

Listen here: http://badtripsurfdeath.bandcamp.com/

Edward Gerard Brophy,

bornagainnihilist@gmail(dot)com.

5 Great Devin Townsend Moments

Here at Born Again Nihilist, we're big fans of rock stars that embrace the loonier side of life, whether it be The Cramps plying their wares to a group of mental patients or Mastodon as cartoon snacks rocking out in Aqua Teen Hunger Force.And it has to be said it's hard to find someone who embraces the craziness of the world of rock and roll better than Canadian uber-producer/guitarist/singer/top bloke/ringleader/ of  various heavy metal circuses , not least the feral heaviness of Strapping Young Lad and The Devin Townsend Project, who are currently on their way to Europe to pummel our ears with their trademark prog-metal brilliance.So to celebrate, we 've compiled a short list of some of the maddest and best moments from everyone's favourite  headcase.Enjoy . . .

1. 'Vampira'

Proof that you can write a bad ass, old school heavy metal tune, AND get away with ripping the piss out of the genre's more, how shall we put this, less subtle proponents, 'Vampira' as a video is three and a half minutes of Townsend and his skeletal minions cavorting ,dancing and leering like some E-Number afflicted trick and treaters, and in the process making one of the best 'bad ' videos of all time.

2.'Deep Thoughts'

A series of 'motivational speaker' style promos made to promote the brilliant 'Addicted' collection, each of these videos, averaging about 15 seconds each, are the equivalent to getting slapped in the face with one of those bizarre religious pamphlets you find on the bus,and are pretty much indicative of the fucked up atmosphere and sense of sonic exploration of the fantastic 'Addicted'.

3.'Stop Clapping'

x

Because to be quite frank, it's rude.Especially at a rock festival.

4.Any Devin Townsend interview

 Articulate,funny ,warm , and ever so slightly demented,, as well as endearingly humble,  here the man himself gets a chance to speak, and in general comes off not as the mad metal professor of lore, but instead a s a guy you'd not balk at sharing a quiet pint with.Julia Hardy , who conducted this interview, recently commented on the video that Devin was "THE nicest guy in metal" .

5. 'Ziltoid The Omniscient'

In a career with a musical output  that could be described in places as 'wilfully eclectic' , and in others 'batshit mental', it 's a struggle sometimes to pinpoint just one moment in the man's illustrious canon of musical madness that is well and truly jumping the shark, but 'Ziltoid' , a coffee-loving alien who will stop at nothing to find the universe's best cup of coffee, may just be it.Essentially  a concept album about an invasion by the diminutive , caffeine addicted cosmic terrorist, it may be one of the silliest metal albums ever, helped in no small part( and this is typical of Townsend's work) , that while tongue may be firmly in cheek, there is never an iota of compromise with the music, and this is as brutal and compelling musically as anything DT has ever done.Bonkers.

Stephen O' Connor,

bornagainnihilist@gmail.com

Album Review - Low Sonic Drift ' Shadows Of The Titan'

Low Sonic Drift are a three piece from Glasgow,Scotland , that since forming in 2007 have shared stages with such stoner luminaries as Brant Bjork, Orange Goblin, Stinking Lizaveta, Weedeater and The Abominable Iron Sloth among others.It's an intimidating list, and one that hints at a unit well versed in their craft, which raises expectations considerably for 'Shadows Of The Titan'(on release since 2009, but we all know Nihilist operates under time-lord rules, and picks albums as it chooses from the time stream, not under the scrutiny of your earth laws) .Thankfully, it doesn't disappoint.

Opener  'Sun Doesn't Rise' sets out their stall, an ambitious nine minute epic that begins with some subtle Eastern orchestration and a simple but effective bassline , building over a good two minutes with an array of eerie vocal chants and tribal drumming patterns, and eventually explodes into a galloping stoner rock monster.Straight away, the band's talent as musicians is evident, switching between Lizaveta -esque staccato  jazz rock riffing  to moments of sheer metallic bombast.'Hyperion' is all High On Fire smoke and bluster, but with an obtuse approach to it's riffing  that lifts it beyond a mere Open-E  workout, while 'As The Crow Flies' takes a more melodic route,with some clever use of bongos, and a great bit of bass playing from Paul Wilson.Drummer Javaud Habibi acquits himself remarkably, handling the rhythmic shifts of the songs with ease and style.

('Something in Farsi') is  a further exploration of the band's world music influences, an instrumental diversion that breaks up the EP nicely, without falling into the trap of being just a token 'eastern moment' with it's complex instrumentation fitting into the context of the band's sound very well.Closer 'Shadows' meanwhile is a  wonderful blend of  post rock sounds and the band's off the wall sonic approach, and one which bookends the EP nicely.

For the most part then, good stuff, but it's not perfect.Chief offender is the vocals , which sound somewhat strained in places and underproduced in others, and one can't help but feel that some more time could have gone into layering and effects, in particular an extra bit of reverb.Frontman Omar Aborida is clearly capable of composing a catchy vocal line, but the recording here doesn't do him any justice, and at times his voice sits on an irritating flat bed of silence, which sits uneasily  among the bands rich compositions.There is also times when the bass could be lowered just a tad in songs, which is no slight against Wilson, or his clear talent, but there are moments on 'As The Crow Flies' when the bottom end becomes somewhat overpowering, to the detriment of Aborida's excellent riffwriting and it sits just a bit too high in the mix for my taste.On the plus side, the drums sound clear and sharp, and by and large the production is competent, and satisfying, even if the mastering can be found lacking at times.

On the whole though , this is a  mightily impressive debut, and a remarkable testament to the musicianship and songwriting prowess of these Glaswegian shredders,And it has to be said,that on five tracks here, Low Sonic Drift display more imagination, talent and flair than some bands display their entire careers.If they're this good now,a full length is a mouthwatering prospect.One to watch.

Rating:7/10
For fans of : Tool, High On Fire, Yakuza, Stinking Lizaveta, The Sword,Black Tusk
Listen here: http://lowsonicdrift.bandcamp.com/
                  http://www.last.fm/music/Low+Sonic+Drift

Stephen O ' Connor, bornagainnihilist@gmail.com

Terrible Videos # 4

Tis been a while since we ploughed through the depths of the netherweb to bring you one of these, but seeing as I'm hungover and a wee bit grumpy, I thought it might be fun to laugh at a bit of cheese.So for your viewing pleasure, we present ...   .Thor!!!

So what makes it a terrible video?Well, for starters,how about some of the crappiest video effects known to man, even for it's day,along with some truly DIRE camera work, bollocks acting and the man himself running around  in his  pyjamas grappling with some  poor unfortunate extras in cloaks soundtracked by some truly awful eighties metal shite  that makes even Manowar's lowest points(and that would be fucking  low) sound like Baroness by comparison.Worth watching, if just to see THE worst on screen sword fight of all time  .. . .

Gig Review , Luminous Black at Dimestore, Sweeney's, Dublin 02/06/11

Upon entering Sweeney's, formally La Cirk, we seek the bar to freshen our mouths and spirits and are greeted by a pleasant middle-aged gent, lets call him 'Zed', with whom we enjoyed a brief moment's worth of conversation.

“You here for the heavy metal? Ah, my brother used to be into it, y'know, and I never really got it at the time. But y'know, as I got older I sort of (shakes his fist and mimics head-banging), y'know...”

Our drinks arrived in front of us and Stephen brought this back and forth to an exciting climax when, with fire in his belly and steam on his voice, he readily replied; “Sure, Rush are, what, 30 years old now? And they just sold out the 02. Show me a band from X-factor that will be able to do that in 30 years". We later deduced that this man was probably a taxi driver.

After sitting down at a table quiz and realising we were at the wrong part of the venue, we made our way upstairs and awaited the band's arrival on stage.

Luminous Black, after a quick sound check and a moment's banter with the crowd, launch into 'Bum Trip'. A rolling stomper of a track driven along by an expansive riff, something that Tony Iommi would have been glad to use on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Excellent choice for an opener.

Second round, LB glide their way effortlessly into 'Meadows of Kaos', the first of what would be three instrumental tracks the band brought to their set, a brave move for any band. After the gig, in conversation with bespectacled guitar player Rob Moore, we discovered that the band began with the intention of being and instrumental three piece but the  bass player couldn't keep away from the mic.

By this early stage, drummer John Quill, or 'Sweaty McBallballs' as bass player Rob called him, has already brought some welcome energy to the mix with the aid of the loudest snare I have heard in some time! Just the kind of drummer a power trio demands.

Getting into the swing of things now, the band break out 'Cosmic Gnomes', a metal monster that demonstrates that the term 'gallop' need not only apply to Iron Maiden riffs. Guitarist Rob (yes there are two Robs involved here) is as chilled a guitar player as you'll ever see, letting the lazy right hand go to town on the riffs, never missing a note and milking a short list of BOSS pedals at his feet for all they're worth.

Coming up behind this was  the wonderfully titled 'Swedish Handjob', which in it's own way has to be the weirdest song I have heard lately. A delicious mash-up of cheeky lead guitar and funky bass lines. This track's apparent poppiness is thoroughly undermined by a certain eeriness about it, confirmed in it's final minutes by the introduction of a lengthy heavy riff that sees the song through to it's end. Rob O'Connell shows us here that the swagger of his bass playing can equal that of his vocal and pin-stripe trousers.

All of the above come into play when (bassist) Rob begins 'Blood Red Blues'. And true to it's name, this is a good old-fashioned bit of bluesy filth underpinned by a sluggish descending riff in, you guessed it, the blues scale! Rob (guitarist this time) gives us a few seconds of feedback before laying on the fuzz thick and creamy to join in with a creatively fleshed out take on the riff, utilising some fascinating chord ideas to great effect. Almost makes me think of the unforgiving thick sound Kyuss achieved on 'Blues For The Red Sun'. “How many times can you say 'blues' in one paragraph Ed?” That's it for now, thank you, I think I'll get down to wrapping this one up.

This is a band that I would recommend to a very wide range of tastes, all the heavy riffing a metal fan would need, all the variety and melodic mystery that a prog fan demands and even blues rock enthusiasts will be satisfied to boot. As I have already alluded to, this a power trio exercising that very power. Like our friend the taxi driver earlier in the night, we were offered some more pub philosophy on our way out, courtesy of a small woman who's hair was curiously 20 years younger than her face.

“You know yourself, when you see a band and when they're shit they're shit and that's it and when they're great they're fuckin' great and that's it, and they were great!”

Hardly Nietzsche but she certainly wasn't wrong! She also mentioned something about rehab which I failed to catch but I'm sure it was of little matter. All things considered, an excellent fuckin' show, and we'll be keeping a keen eye on Luminous Black and their future activities. Well done also to Sweeney Mongrel's, who's own beer was a welcome addition to the atmosphere. Much like Fosters but with a slight citrussy after taste. . .

 By Edward Gerard Brophy
for Bornagainnihilist 2011

Murdock/Hero In Error/Lower Than Atlantis/Your Demise Gig Review

Your Demise/Lower Than Atlantis/Hero In Error/Murdock-Fibber Magee's- Saturday 15th of January , 2011
There's no denying that over the last few months , Demented Promotions have pretty much cornered the market in great hardcore gigs , and also managed to book some of the best Irish and international talent out there.So it's heartening to see them continue that trend with tonight's openers Murdock ( 9/10) , who , with their indefinable blend of sludgy metallic grooves , well placed thrash runs , and a pleasingly twisted approach to arrangements , damn near steal the show . I might also like to add that their drummer is one of the happiest  I have ever seen.

It's been a rough couple of weeks for Hero In Error(8/10) , what with injuries mounting up and losing a guitarist , so one might expect a slightly subdued set from the Dublin quintet tonight . Happily, that's not the case , and the band instead tear through  several tracks off 'The High Point Of New Lows' like men possessed  , finishing on the now obligatory  , roar-along ,'Port In The Storm' .

Lower Than Atlantis(7/10)  , from the UK , have been gaining some popularity this side of the Irish Sea of late, no doubt thanks to latest albums 'Far Q''s clever songwriting and interesting nuanced songs . However tonight unfortunately sound is not their friend , and their set at times descends into a bass heavy mess , especially galling as we can see the band playing their hearts out .Still , the band's energy seems to win them a few new fans  , and it's always nice to hear a hardcore band using their own accents for once.

And so on to Your Demise(6/10) , also from the UK. It's not that the band are bad , or lack energy , but there is the feeling that we have heard this many , many times before.The band's metalcore/groove leanings are at times achingly over familiar , and aren't helped out hugely by  a slightly messy sound.  That said , the band put on a good show , and are tight as a drum in every other respect. Closer 'Burnt Tongues' manages to end their set on a good note though , and overall it's been another success for the Demented stable.

Stephen O ' Connor