Archelon – Tribe of Suns

Band: Archelon

Title: Tribe of Suns

Label: Sludgelord Records

Release Date: 4 May 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Format reviewed: CD-quality Digital Promo

Fast check with Wikipedia and I found that Archelon (from the Greek roots ἀρχε- arkhe- "chief" χελώνη and chelone "turtle", meaning "ruler turtle") is a genus of extinct sea turtles, the largest genus of sea turtles that has ever been documented, and the second-heaviest turtles documented.

Nowadays ARCHELON is a UK post/progressive/sludge band, and their music is just what their name says – gigantic flow into waters, a slow movement of super heavy body. It is like a dream under the waters of a deep sea, an experience of blue hallucination…

After two EPs and a compilation, “Tribe of Suns” is the band’s debut full-length album and it is coming really to crush. Really! Heavy, slow, with with clean guitar parts exploding to high vibrato and crescendo solos. Very emotional all the time, but no sun at all coming from these tribes of suns…With many peaks and downs, taking the listener to an in-depth journey to the well hidden or forgotten places of the soul. The artwork of the album is also something to have a thought on. It hides old secrets and invites to take the next step to unveil lost expectations…So much could be interpreted. Just like in all the tunes which the band deliver.

Not sure of this is a right comparison, but it might give some direction: I would describe Archelon’s music as a magic mix of current Neurosis meeting 95-99 Anathema. Well, well, well!

 “Tribe of Suns” contains 7 tracks resulting in 46 minutes of total playing time. The opener “Man is an artefact” is really sad, dark and slow and contains everything what I have described above about the album. “Tribe of Suns” is much more dynamic, faster, with enjoyable riff in the beginning, with middle ambient part, leading to the the place where to find the shaman of this tribe, ending heavily. “Jonah” “A dried ocean” “Destroyer” are just continuing the slow, ritualistic, muddy and torturous emotional line of the record, with highs leading to almost whispering ambient moments, and then bringing back the full heavy and painful feeling to present…”Hollow gloom” is what it says – a cavernous doomy track, taken from a distant psychedelic nightmare (check the screaming guitar!). The album ends with lighter guitar instrumental “River”, an unspoken sorrow, a sad silent promise for something which should have been…

I must admit, I was very impressed by Archelon’s “Tribe of Suns”. It might be right if I say that it is among the top albums released in May 2018, and for sure among the best doom/post/sludge albums of 2018. A mandatory for every fan of slow, heavy, dark, emotional music. Deep. That’s enough said. 8.5/10 Count Vlad

Band

Bandcamp

Facebook

Label
Bandcamp
Facebook
Blogger
Twitter
Youtube

8.5/10 To Greatness and Glory

**Please support the underground! It’s vital to the future of our genre.
#supporttheunderground

Conjurer - Mire

Band: Conjurer
Title: “Mire”

Label: Holy Roar Records

Release Date: 23 February 2018

Country: United Kingdom
Format reviewed: Vinyl

Conjurer a band expressing their eclectic tastes perhaps influenced by the likes of Through Silver in Blood, Turn Loose the Swans, Odd Fellows Rest & Isa all blended together with their extreme tendencies in tow. So instead of trying to simply label Conjurer as a Sludge, Doom, Post-Metal Band with shards of Black & Progressive Metal to boot. Let’s just call “Mire” out for what it truly is, unique, intense & heavy as hell...Remarkable in fact!

For a band just releasing their Full-Length Debut after the very impressive “I” EP (2016), Conjurer has brought an uncanny confidence and maturity to this release that has the potential to catapult them to the top of the British Metal scene for many years to come. With Conjurer having a tough time clinging to the underground much longer as a result.

“Mire” is blissfully relentless from the opening salvo of Choke to the very last breath Hadal could muster! I can’t over state how impressive and heavy this debut record genuinely is…Highly recommend played on vinyl, perhaps with some really good set of headphones! Even the atmospheric and downtempo sections of tracks like Hollow and Thankless remain intense and powerful. The complimenting dual vocals of Dan Nightingale and Brady Deeprose range from pure guttural growls to occasionally clean, filled with agonizing shrieks from hell, and it all undoubtedly works! This is an album I didn’t judge by each individual track necessarily but more so by the sum of its exceptional parts. Conjurer creating a formula within their aggressive, dense and at times atmospheric passages that will keep your complete attention. The high point of “Mire” being drummer Jan Krause whose stellar performance helps power the superb musicianship throughout this release.

The magnificent stretch of Retch, The Mire and Of Flesh Weaker Than Ash showcasing just how talented Conjurer truly are. Immense, Emotional, Creative and Heavy immediately came to mind after a just few spins of the turntable. It’s intricate twists and turns revealing such a unique recording, that I’ve found it hard to stop listening since its release. Conjurer creating their own formula for success, that they and they alone occupy. At a minimum Conjurer clearly creating one of the better debut albums I’ve heard in recent years. But with this extraordinary release we should expect to hear much more from Conjurer in 2018 and beyond...Well done gentlemen! Play Hard, Play Fast & Play Loud… 9/10 Mö 

Band

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Label

Site

Facebook

Twitter

9/10 Epic Storm

**Please support the underground! It’s vital to the future of our genre.
#supporttheunderground