Robust Crew's Tops of 2012

Hail everybody !

At the end of this long and full of music events year we want to give you some Tops from the Robust Crew.

Feel free to leave yours at the comment section !

So please welcome :

STONEZILLA 

(plays in Ethereal Riffian, Wolverine Blues, blog editor, Robustfest's org)

1) Om - Advaitic Songs
2) High on Fire - De Vermis Mysteriis
3) Elder - Spires Burn
4) Ghandis Gunn -  The Longer The Beard The Harder The Sound
5) Stoned Jesus - Seven Thunders Roar
6) Gravelroad - Psychedelta
7) The Moon Mistress - Silent Voice Inside
8) The Jim Jones Revue - The Savage Heart
9) Sleepy Sun - Spine Hits
10) Bluesbreaker - Never Knowing Peace
11) James Blackshaw - Love is the Plan, the Plan is Death
12) Snail - Terminus
13) Sun River - Sun River
14) Maloi - Boys You Have to Slow Down
15) Dopelord – Magic Rites 
16) Grave Disgrace - S/t
17) The Grand Astoria/USX Split
18) Nitrogods - S/t
19) Wo Fat – The Black Code
20) Neurosis - Honor Found in Decay

PROG-JESTER 

(plays in Stoned Jesus, Krobak, Voida...and the list goes on and on, Robustfest's org)

you can also visit his livejournal page for more stuff...

25. Neil Young With Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill
24. Bat For Lashes - The Haunted Man
23. Mgla - With hearts toward none
22. Anglagard - Viljans Oga
21. Extra Life - Dream Seeds
20. Unsane - Wreck
19. Amen Ra - Mass V
18. Echolyn - s/t
17. Beardfish - The Void
16. Anhedonist – Netherwards
15. Lee Ranaldo - Between the Times and the Tides
14. Golden Void - s/t
13. Greenleaf - Nest Of Vipers
12. My Dying Bride - A Map of All Our Failures
11. Grizzly Bear - Shields
10. Sun River - s/t
09. Family Band - Grace and Lies
08. Ancient Sky - T.R.I.P.S.
07. Young Legionnaire - Wreckonomics EP
06. Scott Kelly and The Road Home - The Forgiven Ghost In Me
05. Swans - The Seer
04. Deftones - Koi No Yokan
03. Title Fight - Floral Green
02. Maloi "Boys You Gotta Slow Down" EP
01. 5R6 "+6.5 and Brighter" EP

IRON

( Live Reviews from Oslo gigs and Roadburn 2012)

1. Baroness - Yellow & Green
2. Bomg / Johny B Gut - Gnosis
3. Paradise Lost - Tragic Idol
4. Nadja & Vampilia - The Primitive World
5. El Caco - Hatred, Love & Diagrams
6. Herder - Horror Vacui
7. Krakow - Diin
8. Process Of Guilt - Faemin
9. In The Company Of Serpents - self-titled
10. Crippled Black Phoenix - No Sadness Or Farewell

DEN

(Record reviewer on the blog)

1 Pale Divine 2012 - Painted Windows Black

With most of  doom bands becoming faceless amid neverending onslaught of  totally cliched bands, above stand those who manage to  attain the spirit of their own while still adgering to the well-recognized formula of   Sabbathian grooves. Pale Divine's last opus  is exactly what the above description implies as it not only elevates above its predecessor in avery aspect possible, but proudly stands on the top of the doom pantheon of the last decade. And may those who disagree just fade into obscurity. AMAZING 10/10

2 Adrift for Days  2012 - Come Midnight.

Following the debut release "Lunar Maria", Australian dwellers have made nearly impossible again. Producing an amalgamation of  of the genres fuzz/stoner/blues/metal/smoke all combined into one sacriligious package, these guys definetely know how to render the listner comletley helpless against the symphony of  heavy as fuck, but the same tume sedative and mesmerizing tunes  taking its origins from the desolate  landscapes of Land Downunder. With the overall running time exceeding 70 minutes,  you will not find a better candidate to accompany you on a pleasing smoke-filled journey which will continue  for a big number of spins. OUTSTANDING 10/10

3 Law Of The Tongue 2012  - Law Of The Tongue

Yet another release from Australia is proudly taking  the third place in my top 10. All of you are fans of Eyehategod, right ?. So to say it plain and simple , these guys heave  unleashed a good dose of  lethal  hatred straight from the swamps of Louisiana ( soory, alligator-infested ponds of  some australian towns lol). A good warm up to make the tedious anticipation of  next Eyehategod full-length less tedious.

4 Eagle Twin 2012 - The Feather Tipped the Serpent's Scale

What i really like about Utah's Eagle Twin, is that there is  not another band existing in  our universe which has succeeded in sounding like them. Combining heavy-as- russian-concrete sludge with droning  tones from the bowels of the earth, and blending all this mess with  progressive twists of King Crimson and   hell-knowns what else, these duo is either worshipping the illuminated shape-shifting reptilians or  just playing an evil joke with us. Worshippers of The Sontaran Experiment will understand, even though these bands  hardly have anything in common.

5  The Disease Concept - 2012 - Liquor Bottles and Broken Steel

Yeah, this about rules, but if you don't enjoy struggling with morining hangovers  you can quit reading right now. The Disease Concept is the creme de la creme of the heavy sludge/doom scene, Corey Bing on drums (Fistula, Accept Death, Morbid Wizard, Sollubi, Ultralord, 10,000 other bands, etc.), Jesse Kling on vocals (Sollubi, Morbid Wizard, etc.), Dave Szulkin on guitars (Blood Farmers), Tommy Southard on guitars (Solace, Sollubi, ex-Godspeed), and Chris Griffith on bass (Sollubi, Pennsylvania Connection). Hell- yeah,  with such a line i would not have dropped a single tear had  the  dark  Mayan prophecy been delivered on Decebber the 21-st ! Hey, crack a bear open and  enjoy one of the best sludge opuses of all time.

PHILLO)))

(Blog Editor, Robustfest's org)

 1. Stone Machine - 2012 - Stone Machine (http://www.grooveyardrecords.com/stonemachineselftitled-.html)
2. Abe Diddy & The Krautboys - 2012 - Follow (http://abediddy.bandcamp.com/)
3. Groan - 2012 - The Divine Right of Kings (http://groan.bandcamp.com/)
4. Unsane – 2012 - Wreck
5. Disease Concept - 2012 - Liquor Bottles And Broken Steel (GoatSkull) (http://thediseaseconcept.bandcamp.com/)
6. Fontanelle - 2012 - Vitamin F (Southern Lord)
7. Slow Season - 2012 - Slow Season (http://www.slowseasonmusic.com/audio)
8. Castrovalva - 2012 - You're Not In Hell. You're in Purgatory My Friend LP (Brew) (http://brew.bandcamp.com/album/castrovalva-youre-not-in-hell-youre-in-purgatory-my-friend)
9. Fiona Apple - 2012 - The Idler Wheel
10. Primate - 2012 - Draw Back A Stump (Relapse) (http://primategrind.bandcamp.com/releases)
11. Stoned Jesus - 2012 - Seven Thunders Roar LP (Nasoni)
12. ZZ Top - 2012 - La Futura
13. Eggnogg - 2012 - Louis EP (http://eggnogg.bandcamp.com/album/louis-ep)
14. Skanska Mord - 2012 - Paths To Charon (http://smallstone.bandcamp.com/album/paths-to-charon)
15. Melvins - 2012 - The Bulls & The Bees EP
16. High on Fire – 2012 - De Vermis Mysteriis LP
17. Redgrave - 2012 - National Act (http://lovitt.bandcamp.com/album/national-act)
18. Ethereal Riffian - 2012 - Dkyil Khor EP (http://etherealriffian.bandcamp.com/track/dkyil-khor)
19. Hot Fiction - 2012 - Apply Within (http://hotfiction.bandcamp.com/album/apply-within)
20. Pale Divine - 2012 - Painted Windows Black (http://shadowkingdomrecords.bandcamp.com/album/painted-windows-black)

 Hope you'll find something for yourself to listen to during the holidays.

Have a Robust-Stoned-Freakin-Awesome-Kickass New 2013 Year !!!

Cheers Robustfellows !

Sent By the Band...December 2012

Heavy Glow  

is going to release a fullength soon.

This will be the B-side to "Mine All Mine" and only available on 7" Vinyl per the band's upcoming January tour.

 
"Heavy Glow has begun work on their second full-length album. This time they’re teaming up with Grammy-nominated producer Michael Patterson and Nic Jodoin.  Patterson is perhaps most famous for his work with Beck on “Midnite Vultures,” Trent Reznor, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club among many others. Recording will take place in L.A. at the famous Studio 9 building and will feature 10-12 new songs with additional guest personnel. The album is slated for release in early 2013."

listen to the Headhunter

http://heavyglowmusic.com/

Asilo - 2012 - Geografías / Wardance

"asilo is 4 piece doom-crust band from buenos aires argentina, with two bass players and no guitar"

www.facebook.com/estoesasilo
http://asilo.bandcamp.com/

The Brutal Deceiver - 2012 - Go Die. One By One 

 

French hardcore/death metal outfit THE BRUTAL DECEIVER have announced the release of their debut full-length album "Go Die. One By One" on next spring. The follow-up to their 2010 EP "Birth Of A Decline", the record will arrive courtesy of the band's new label home Useless Pride Records. The band (which features two members of post-metal band As We Draw) recorded those ten tracks last summer with their drummer Amaury Sauvé at La Senelle. To check out a first track of "Go Die. One By One", head over the band's Bandcamp page here :

http://thebrutaldeceiver.bandcamp.com/

Megachurch 2: Judgment Day

 

Megachurch and Stressed Sumo Records proudly present the release of Megachurch 2: Judgment Day, the Cleveland, Ohio trio’s fierce new record. Available on CD, limited edition run of 100 cassettes and digital (the album also includes three bonus tracks). Released on February 11th

"Melding metallic shards of Burton-era Metallica, Mastodon, and Queens of the Stone Age to the mathematical rhythms of Battles and Slint, Megachurch save the soul of metal from the venial sins of guitars and vocals through their trademark twin bass guitar and drums attack. Hewn from the same leaden timbres that anchored their promising self-titled 2010 debut, Judgment Day cuts across genre and practice, pitting pietism against irreverence or the glory of unfettered riffage.

The chemistry gained by Megachurch from two years of high-profile Ohio shows is on full display. Bassists Brian Michael Hill and Mikey Baranick perform in the seasoned lockstep, with Hill’s iterative basslines threading through Baranick’s buzzsaw riffs. Drummer Dan Price, having previously bonded with Hill and Baranick in their respective poppier endeavors This is Exploding and Machine Go Boom, is no exception. Manning the engine-room of the operation, Price’s pattern drumming harnesses the kinetic power of fluid tempos and irregular time-signatures while opting against the metal staples of blast and d-beats. Found-sound samples of politicians, televangelists, and Tea Party fanatics stand in as the group’s manic vocalists.

Racing through eight songs in just over 27 minutes, Megachurch utilize as much restraint as creativity, stripping away all extraneous elements to reveal lean, muscular songs. John Delzoppo’s recording and Price’s mix pay these number the complement of warm, clear production."

http://stressedsumorecords.bandcamp.com/album/megachurch-2-judgment-day
http://stressedsumorecords.co.uk/

Sorrows Path - 2011 -  The Rough Path of Nihilism

 

Power/Doom metal from Greece



 http://www.facebook.com/SorrowsPath
http://www.sorrowspath.net/

Primitive Man - 2012 - Scorn 

 

"Formed by members of CLINGING TO THE TREES OF A FOREST FIRE and REPROACHER, Denver's PRIMITIVE MAN will release its debut album "Scorn" on 12" vinyl on January 31th via Throatruiner Records and Mordgrimm Records. This album was recorded by Dave Otero at Flatline Audio (CEPHALIC CARNAGE, CATHETER, COBALT) in the band's hometown, evolving into a blackened sludge/doom vein that will appeal fans of bands such as The Body, Thou or Khanate."

http://music.throatruinerrecords.com/album/scorn
http://www.facebook.com/primitivemandoom
http://throatruinerrecords.com/
http://mordgrimm.bandcamp.com/

RORCAL - 2012 - VILAGVEGE 

 

"After two years on the road defending "Heliogabalus", working on some split collaborations and trying to write new music, using new schems, time has come to finally announce the third album by Rorcal.
 A subtle blend of old drone/doom ingredients and some new unexplored black metal influences finally gave birth to eight new tracks, produced by Stéphane Kroug (at Wood Recording Studio) and place in the hands of  to be reunited under the sweet name of "Vilagvege".
  For the fist time, Rorcal is happy to release this new album on vinyl, in close collaboration with its own imprint Cal of Ror Records (Lilium Sova), Sick Man Getting Sick Records (Alaskan) from Germany and the new french label Lost Pilgrims Records (Cortez). A tape edition will follow on the germany Wolves in Vibrancy Records (Ilydaen).
 The release is planned for the 28th of February 2013 and will be followed by a new tour through European soils, from March 27th to the 6th of April. Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Belgium : be prepared Doom is upon you!"

http://rorcal.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Rorcal
http://www.rorcal.com/

The Phantom Carriage - 2012 - Falls 

 

"With this second full-length, Poitiers' THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE annihilate the remaining boundaries between black metal and dark hardcore. This time focusing on the most extreme side of their sound, "Falls" brings the band's unique approach to the next level, invoking reminiscences of various acts such as Deathspell Omega, Cave In, Comity, Deafheaven or Kickback. Songs such as "Dreamers Will Never Stop Dreaming" or "Today We Stand" reveal how much the band has improved their songwriting abilities, burying the listener under piles of epic & technical riffs, labyrinthic structures and unearthly vocals. By throwing into their chaos some more unorthodox influences they gained from their other past and actual experiences, THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE prove that they are digging deeper than your average "blackened hardcore" band. And they will take you with them."

http://music.throatruinerrecords.com/album/falls
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Phantom-Carriage

TOMBSTONES - 2012 - Year of the Burial LP (Review)

Here comes the 3-piece heavy stoner/doom beast from the North.
This is their third album. The massive wall of sound was made by the Norwegian Petter Svee and Audun Strype and it worked out really good. Both previous albums were made with Billy Anderson.

And I'm glad to see that band have signed to Holland's Soulseller Recs.

Musically "Year of the Burial" comes like a solid piece of heaviness.
Six songs of pure darkness.
OM-ish paradise.
For perfect experience while listening to this LP you'd better turn off the lights, burn some candles and play some 80's horror movies at the background.

Thanx for this wonderful LP, Ole.
And yes it's freakin' awesome to find myself and robustcrew in the thanks list on the gatefold.
This little thing inspires to crush big mountains :)

Album is dedicated to the fourth band member -

	Jonas Martin Sørmo - R.I.P.

Stream full album here :

http://www.facebook.com/tombstonesoslo

Buy here :

http://www.soulsellerrecords.com/

Semtex - 2012 - Sex, Drugs & Sludgecore (LP) Review

Hail the Riff !

Here comes the new LP by the great band from Finland called Semtex.

Firstly I'd like to speak about the package.

"Sex, Drugs & Sludgecore " comes in high quality black cardboard. It's pressed on a heavyweight 180 gr. vinyl. 200 were made.
Sticker and Cool Poster is included.

Musically it goes like an axiom. Semtex = good smoked sludge doom. And like a formula e=mc2 it does not require any proof.
You can feel strong influences of Bongzilla and Weedeater but with the stench from the Northern Finlands' swamps.

This Lp is a compilation of latest works of Semtex. 4 tracks were released earlier this year as a split with Frogskin and DDJ by Boue records.
So If you're a fan of finnish underground music you should grab this one immediately !!!

Also some secret info has leaked away - Semtex are going to release split Lp with Woodrue in winter 2013. 

Same 4 tracks also can be heard on this split :

http://bouerecords.bandcamp.com/album/by-the-malice-of-the-evil-death-comes-vol-1

Buy

http://www.myspace.com/semtexposse