Sludge Doom

Barbarian Hermit – One Remastered

Barbarian Hermit – One Remastered
APF Records
Release Date: 29/01/2021
Running time: 48:18
Review by Alun Jones
9.5/10

Writing these reviews for Ever Metal isn’t easy, you know. I’m sure I speak for the whole writing team when I say that we pour our heart and soul into all our prose. Each of us lives with the fear of the dreaded Writer’s Block, gnawing at our bones. So, I decided that my review of this reissue of the 2016 debut album by Barbarian Hermit, released by the mighty APF Records, would need some help.

But who could assist with such a task? Why none other than my old friend, Volkrugg the Decimator – barbarian warlord of Ages Long Forgotten. Of course: no-one is better qualified! And seeing as I’ve basically been a hermit for the last year, between us we should have it covered.

Take it away, Volkrugg…

“Greetings, people of the 21^st Century! I am Volkrugg the Decimator – warlord of the Mist Realm, conqueror of the Thorspian cities, leader of the barbarian hordes of Vossk. My good friend, Al, has begged me for my musings concerning the recorded work of Barbarian Hermit, and lo – I shall render it unto thee with vicious glee!

“From the very start, these seven songs burst forth like an army of Ionian Thrask Vandals! They wield their war axes with vengeful power, surging down from the mountains on thundering hooves of hell. The brief respite of sometime calmer moods offer shelter from the maelstrom of war, yet always the majesty and power of conflict lurks temptingly!

“Verily, hearing these odes, I was mindful of my fallen brothers from glorious battles past – gone but ne’er forgotten, proudly drinking and brawling in Valhalla!”

There you go, I couldn’t have said it better myself. “One” is a great, sludgy, fuzzy celebration of relentless force and mesmerising intricacies. Both Volkrugg, his band of berserker warriors and myself are all big fans. You’d be a fool of mythic proportions to miss this album, and be warned – Volkrugg fed his last court jester to a tiger. Barbarian Hermit reviewed by a barbarian and a hermit – you can’t get a more honest opinion than that.

Through The Periscope Of The Deadly Sub (Audio)

TRACKLISTING:
01. Mermaid
02. Tigerhorse
03. Burn The Fire
04. Barbarian Enforcement Agency
05. Alma
06. Widowmaker
07. Through The Periscope Of The Deadly Sub (Bonus Track)

LINE-UP ON “ONE”:
Simon Scarlett – Vocals
Mike Regan – Guitars
Adam Robertshaw – Guitars
Chris Wood – Bass
Loz Brindley – Drums

LINKS:

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Alun Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

Dayglo Mourning – Dead Star

Dayglo Mourning – Dead Star
Black Doomba Records
Release Date: 12/02/2021
Running Time: 35:07
Review by Alun Jones
9/10

It was late afternoon when I woke. Sunlight was pouring through the blinds like cheap bourbon into a cracked glass, and my mouth was as healthy as a well-worn shoe. Still aching, I reached for a half-finished bottle of warm beer to contemplate the previous nights events. How had I ended up in this mess again?

The culprit was there before me: all innocent now, but I knew the power that lurked inside. A new album by a band called Dayglo Mourning was to blame. I had spent the night lost in a haze of booze and infernal doom metal, my reverie spiralling out of control by the minute.

“Dead Star”, this work was called. An ode to sludgy riffs, apocalyptic drums and earth-shaking riffs in the traditional, old school style. Right up my strasse, then.

Dayglo Mourning are three barbarian bruisers from Atlanta, Georgia: Joe Mills (guitar and vocals), Jerimy McNeil (bass, vocals) and Ray Miner (drums). Together they have created a huge, monolithic prayer to the riff, with a hint of space rock and some fine bluesy flourishes for good measure.

Songs such as the title track and ‘Faithful Demise’ also offer up a warm groove, whilst ‘The Offering’ has more of a blues feel. ‘Bloodghast’ and ‘Witches Ladder’ feature a more direct, pummelling attack, and ‘Ashwhore’ features some spooky, satanic choir work to up the occult ante before ushering in another hefty riff.

Thundering vocals; a great, thick guitar tone and powerful rhythm section teamwork are enhanced with a fine production that’s crisp and clear, yet doesn’t sacrifice the traditional feel.

It’s hard to find fault with “Dead Star”. Maybe the only thing is that it’s a little too short? But then, doom is perfect for vinyl, and 35 minutes is all anyone should need.

The album even features a fantastically lurid cover, featuring some foxy space princesses in what looks like a 1970’s Marvel comic. It was this image that had woken me from my stupor; the bright supernatural glow piercing my eyelids as they cracked open. Cheers, Dayglo Mourning – fancy another pint?

Witch’s Ladder (Official Video)

TRACKLISTING:
01. Dead Star
02. The Offering
03. Bloodghast
04. Faithful Demise
05. Ashwhore
06. Witch’s Ladder

LINKS:

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Alun Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

EMQ’s with YANOMAMO

EMQ’s with YANOMAMO

Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Sydney, Australia based Sludge-Ridden Doom Metal band, Ya̧nomamö. Huge thanks to guitarist Jason Higson for taking part.

What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?

I’m Jason & I play guitar in Ya̧nomamö. The band began in 2011 as a side-project as we were all playing in other bands (Lomera, Mother Mars, Rituals of the Oak, Birdmouth). Almost 10 years and a couple of line-up changes later, and we are still going! We call our music SLUDGERIDDENDOOM and try to deliver the biggest riffs we can conjure, whilst maintaining swing & groove.

How did you come up with your band name?

We took it from the movie Cannibal Holocaust, though it is actually the name of a small group of indigenous people who live in villages in the Amazon rainforest on the border between Venezuela and Brazil.

What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?

We are from Sydney, Australia. The scene here is pretty busy with lots of great underground metal bands of all genres working hard to produce great music.

What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)

We’ll be releasing our new EP, “No Sympathy for a Rat” in August 2020. It’s our first release in 3 years & we are really keen to get it out!

Who have been your greatest influences?

For the music we create in Ya̧nomamö, I’d have to say Black Sabbath, Bongzilla, Church of Misery … I’d also include early KISS, in particular Ace Frehley, & Thin Lizzy from an overall perspective.

What first got you into music?

My father & my uncles introduced me to 70’s hard rock e.g. Thin Lizzy, KISS, AC/DC etc from a very young age. Music has been my passion ever since.

If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?

Bongzilla or Church of Misery.

If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?

Probably Roadburn … the line-ups are amazing year after year

What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?

Nothing springs to mind…

If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?

We appreciate the support we get from our fans more than anything. Without the fans, we dont exist.

If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?

Honestly, nobody…

What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?

Playing live shows is the greatest thing for me. I also love the creative process, but it can also be very stressful at times. It’s a double-edged sword, especially from a mental health perspective.

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

Like almost everything else, it would be the politics…

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

Thin Lizzy – “Johnny The Fox”

What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?

Vinyl! Music isn’t something you just download from the internet. I love the artwork & packaging which contributes to the overall musical package.

What’s the best gig that you have played to date?

It’s hard to narrow it down… but a couple stick out… Coven Festival at Crowbar in Sydney 2017 was really great. Also Playing The Tote in Melbourne at capacity with Conan was probably the highlight.

If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?

My day job in project management! Hahahaha… being a musician isn’t a full-time thing for any of us. We all have families & jobs etc. but we do this because we love it.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

Kobe Bryant, Gregg Popovich, Tony Iommi, Ace Frehley, Barack Obama

What’s next for the band?

Releasing the “No Sympathy for a Rat” EP in August & playing lots of shows to support it!

What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?

www.yanomamo.bandcamp.com/
www.facebook.com/yanomamoband/
www.instagram.com/yanomamo_sludge_ridden_doom/

Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?

I don’t care either way… they are choc/orange deliciousness!!!

Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Thank you for your time & for being a part of the metal underground. We really appreciate it!

Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.