Tag Archives: England

Chat Pile – God’s Country; Lebrique – Head Trap (2022)

Posted by valleyofsteel on

Hey! As we continue inching ever-closer to the conclusion of yet another calendar year, let’s continue talking about some of the great music that has come out in 2022.

Today I’ve got two albums to share: one that was just a recent discovery for me, that I somehow missed when it came out over the summer but which has been getting SO much attention lately as all my writing peers have started publishing their own year-end lists, and then one that just came out this month, and based on that timing I’m afraid it may have inadvertently missed catching many other people’s attention.

Here we go…

 

Chat Pile – God’s Country (The Flenser, 29 July 2022)

 

Lebrique – Head Trap (Trepanation Recordings, 02 December 2022)

 

Continue reading →

Kurokuma – Born of Obsidian; Vinterdracul – The Murnau Nocturnes (2022)

Posted by valleyofsteel on

Hello, dear readers!

Here we have two brand-new albums you might enjoy — if you do, they’re both scheduled to come out TOMORROW, which also happens to be the first Bandcamp Friday of the year!

 

Kurokuma – Born of Obsidian (self-released, 04 February 2022)

 

Vinterdracul – The Murnau Nocturnes (Canticle Throe, 04 February 2022)

 

Continue reading →

Sunyata – The Great Beyond (2020); Sunnata – Burning in Heaven, Melting on Earth (2021)

Posted by valleyofsteel on

Hello out there! In the immortal words of the Barenaked Ladies, it’s been…

Seven days since we got together here, at which time I had shared two albums with you by bands who coincidentally had similar-sounding names, but otherwise had little in common.

Today I’ve got another pair of albums by similarly-named artists, which happened to be released in close proximity to each other — just over and just under a year ago. In this case, while both are still fairly disparate, at least they would both be found somewhere on the doom spectrum… or if nothing else, maybe doom-adjacent? Enjoy!

 

Sunyata – The Great Beyond (self-released, 11 November 2020)

 

Sunnata – Burning in Heaven, Melting on Earth (self-released, 26 February 2021)

 

Continue reading →

TOANWTS – Feral Blood (2019); ANTOAS – Dirges (2021)

Posted by valleyofsteel on

Hello there and Happy Friday to you all!

These albums, one nearly three years old and the other reaching its first birthday later this month, have practically nothing in common with each other besides the fact that both bands’ names are lengthy phrases about owls. But sometimes little things like that can randomly grab your attention, and then you accidentally discover that there’s some great music inside, too. I think you just might find this to be the case with either or both of these releases…

 

The Owls Are Not What They Seem – Feral Blood (Eleventh Key, 19 March 2019)

 

And Now the Owls Are Smiling – Dirges (Clobber Records, 29 January 2021)

 

Continue reading →

Blind Monarch – What is Imposed Must Be Endured (2019-21); Utbyrd – Varskrik (2017-21)

Posted by valleyofsteel on

Good morning! I’d like to share with you a couple of records that were re-released in 2021.

In case you missed these the first time around, I’d hate for you to miss them again…

 

Blind Monarch – What is Imposed Must Be Endured (CD+cassette Black Bow Records, 09 April 2019; 2xLP Dry Cough Records and Heavenly Vault Records, 01 March 2021)

 

Utbyrd – Varskrik (self-released 01 February 2017; CD+cassette+vinyl Petrichor, 12 March 2021)

 

Continue reading →

Body Void / Keeper Split (2020); Keeper / Sea Bastard Split (2015)

Posted by valleyofsteel on

Body Void / Keeper – Split (Tridroid Records [cassette] / Roman Numeral Records [vinyl], 15 January 2020)

 

Keeper / Sea Bastard – Split (Medusa Crush Recordings [N.A.] / Dry Cough Records [U.K.], 03 February 2015)

 

Hello there! Today we’re going to take a look at a split record that’s been generating a little bit of buzz since it came out last month, but not nearly as much as it should — considering the caliber of the two bands who released it (Californians Body Void and Keeper).

The first of those is surely familiar to even occasional readers of this website, as we’ve discussed their work multiple times before — and they’ve managed to land on our Top ## of 20## lists each of the past three years.

But I realize at this point that we have never mentioned Keeper previously, which is really a shame because they were involved with another fantastic split LP that came out about five years ago, along with Brightonian band Sea Bastard. Somehow we just never got around to covering it, so to rectify that error, let’s revisit that one today as well. So you can have a little “bonus review” as a treat.

 

Continue reading →

Kassad – London Orbital (2020)

Posted by valleyofsteel on

Kassad – London Orbital (Hypnotic Dirge Records, 10 January 2020)

 

Hello there, readers. Was it just my imagination or did the first month of this year just totally fly by? Anyway, here we are a few days into February and finally this is the first time I’m getting around to writing about a 2020 release. I don’t feel great that it’s taken so long, but here we are. And, notwithstanding any change in the status of the creek, with regard to it rising or not, this should be the first of many.

This is also the first 2020 release from one of our favorite Canadian labels, Hypnotic Dirge. Those familiar with the record company will recall that many of their releases originate in or around the same frozen northern tundra of their homeland, and often (fittingly) fall within the umbrella of frostbitten atmospheric blackness — but today we’ll be focusing on something that strays ever-so-slightly outside of those stereotypes…

The abode of Kassad, as name-checked in their sophomore album’s title, is the capital of England (rather than the somewhat smaller city located on the Thames River in the province of Ontario); and while the record does still operate within the black metal milieu, the band has described its style as “urban” black metal.

 

Continue reading →

Conan / Slomatics – Split (2018 Reissue)

Posted by valleyofsteel on

cover

Conan / Slomatics – Split (original release 2011 / to be RE-re-released by Black Bow Records, 01 June 2018)

 

Almost two years ago, the 2011 split record between these two bands, each of whom has been discussed multiple times on this website (Conan | Slomatics), got the re-release treatment on a really cool picture disc by Black Bow Records. We discussed that right here.

But in case you missed it (or if you DID manage to snag one of those copies, but you wish you had a second one to listen to!), Black Bow is doing it again! This time on 180g heavyweight vinyl (for the first time ever) in a peculiar shade of “ogre green” (also for the first time ever). Keep reading to revisit our review of these songs from the 2016 release, and then find where you can buy a copy of the new edition.

 

Continue reading →

Boss Keloid – Melted on the Inch (2018)

Posted by valleyofsteel on


 

Boss Keloid – Melted on the Inch (Holy Roar Records, 27 April 2018)

 
Ok folks, let’s talk new music. Here’s one that just came out last Friday that you’ll surely want to acquaint yourself with. Two years ago, when north west England’s Boss Keloid released their second album Herb Your Enthusiasm, we described them by borrowing from a press release: “an eclectic mash of riffery, dirge, groove and sway that will leave you feeling heavy, warm and slightly damp in places.”

All of that remains true on this newer release Melted on the Inch, only more so. Very much more so…

Continue reading →

Employed to Serve – The Warmth of a Dying Sun (2017)

Posted by valleyofsteel on

Employed to Serve – The Warmth of a Dying Sun (Holy Roar Records, 19 May 2017)

 

The last time I wrote about this ‘post-hardcore/powerviolence’ band from Woking, England (in Surrey County, just outside London), I explained how I had first discovered them when they emailed me about their 2012 EP Long Time Dead. I was absolutely infatuated by that release (and still am!) but for a variety of reasons never quite managed to write anything about it until just last year.

When I heard Holy Roar was releasing a brand-new EtS album (and some of the early press seemed to be hinting at an AOTY contender) I knew I needed to get my hands on it — and also that I wouldn’t let another four years pass before writing about it! So here, I present you with The Warmth of a Dying Sun. Enjoy!

 
Continue reading →