Lmst

Recently down in London so obviously had to make a pilgrimage to these two amazing record shops.

#HeavyMetal #MetalCommunity #VinylRecords #RiseAboveRecords #RavenRecords

Recently down in London so obviously had to make a pilgrimage to these two amazing record shops.

#HeavyMetal #MetalCommunity #VinylRecords #RiseAboveRecords #RavenRecords

Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats – Nell’ Ora Blu Review

By Iceberg

Nell’ Ora Blu, or “the blue hour,” is a love letter to Italian cinema, particularly the Poliziotteschi (crime) and Giallo (horror) styles. While Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats are famously a four-piece fuzzy psych-rock band, the vast majority of this record was conceived, written, and performed by main brain Kevin Starrs. This is by and large an instrumental, soundtrack-adjacent album, though there are tracks on here that will remind fans it’s still Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats (“La vipera,” “Solo la morte ti ammanetta”). Starrs’ story centers on corruption and revenge; a morally bankrupt businessman entangled in a plot of deception and murder by the very townsfolk he’s been abusing. The concept is solid enough, and the music and voice talent resembles an authentic ’70s soundtrack. But the proof is in the pudding, can the whopping 78 minutes of Nell’ Ora Blu deliver a rewarding listening experience as well as an ambitious artistic statement?

Nell’ Ora Blu’s tracks can be divided into three categories: voice-overs that propel the plot, instrumentals that set the scene, and more standard psych-rock tracks that emphasize a certain mood or motivation. The music itself evokes throwback Italian cinema without directly sounding like its major contributors, although I hear echoes of Ennio Morricone and Angelo Badalamenti throughout. Warbly, creeping synths form the backbone of many pieces, with simplistic half-ballroom, half-stoner drum patterns thumping over a pleasantly perceptible grooving bassline. I give a lot of credit to Starrs for incorporating as many different timbres and instruments as he did into this record; Nell’ Ora Blu is a labor of love and well outside the wheelhouse for the songwriter. But writing an album masquerading as a film soundtrack—or as Starrs says a radio play—brings with it its own challenges.

The voice-over tracks of Nell’ Ora Blu—all in Italian, much like their titles—shine brightest, hewing closest to the pulpy narrative and providing much-needed context to the shifting tones of the music (speaking Italian would help a lot here). Securing top voice-over talent—industry titans Franco Nero and Edwige Fenech—was a priority for Starrs, and I’ll admit tracks like “Giustizia di strada – Lavora fino alla morte” and “La bara resterà chiusa” pair their dialogue and foreboding atmosphere masterfully. The big plot beats work best; the genesis of the murder plot (“Giustizia di strada – Lavora fino alla morte), the heavy breathing phone call (“Tortura al telefona”) and the violent climactic act itself (“L’omicidio”). Starrs’ music naturally merges with the plot in these tracks, and the listener is swept up in the drama of the pulsing synths and slippery grooves. Taken on their own these exposition-heavy tracks could make a solid, smaller collection, but they co-exist along with other songs that threaten to drag the album past its natural lifespan.

As the beginning of Nell’ Ora Blu passes and the album settles in it becomes apparent this is ideal mood or background music, but poses a challenge for focused listening. The opening third of the album moves quickly with plenty of voice-over, but the one-two punch of “Il tesoro di Sardegna” and “Nell’ora blu,” with their combined 11 minutes of downtempo musings, disperses the suspense of the previous tracks. The lengthy, meandering center of the record doesn’t really pick up again until the end of “Il gatto morto,” where the events of the premeditated murder begin and the music—and story—regains prior energy. The other glaring—and potentially deal-breaking—issue here is the language barrier. I was lucky enough to have a story summary provided to me by the band, but I don’t know if this will be made available to the public. YMMV on this point, but knowing the outline of the story pulls the listener in and orients them with the music as it unfolds. Just as a film would feel half-full without its music, the score here feels less than without the illustration of the story to aid the listener (I envy my Italian-speaking readers, this album should come much easier for you).

This was a difficult album to review and score, if only because Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats presented me with such an outside-the-box album. Ultimately I feel Nell’ Ora Blu is a successful—if overextended—excursion into a sound world not often heard in these halls. Fans of the band and of throwback film music should set aside some time to check this out, and hopefully be able to secure a synopsis. As for me I can see myself, some six months down the line, dealing with an inconsolable newborn and turning to the smoky, slinky sounds of Nell’ Ora Blu to find some measure of respite and release.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: Stream | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: Rise Above Records
Websites: facebook.com | uncleacidband.com
Releases Worldwide: May 10, 2024

#2024 #30 #AngeloBadalamenti #EnglishMetal #EnnioMorricone #FilmScore #May24 #NellOraBlu #PsychedlicRock #Review #Reviews #RiseAboveRecords #StonerMetal #StonerRock #UncleAcidAndTheDeadbeats

Friends of Hell – God Damned You to Hell Review

By Steel Druhm

Back in 2022, a tongue-in-cheek project by members of Reverend Bizarre and Electric Wizard was introduced to the world. Going by the name Friends of Hell (a not-so-subtle call out to Witchfinder General’s sophomore opus), they played classic 80s doom in the vein of Pentagram, Saint Vitus, and of course, Witchfinder General. It was a loving homage to a specific era and sound and the somewhat goofy, overblown delivery was balanced out by slick riffs and the one-of-a-kind vocals of Albert Witchfinder (Reverend Bizarre). It was entertaining but it wasn’t a must-hear kind of article. 2024 sees Friends of Hell back with a greatly overhauled lineup and without the talents of Albert Witchfinder. In his place is Per “Hellbutcher” Gustavsson of Nifelheim and Necrocurse fame. Can this new crew provide classic doom chills and thrills? Let’s get down in the Devil’s business.

It turns out Hellbutcher is a good fit for what Friends of Hell do this time out. The opening title track is burly and punchy and the riffs flow rough and ready, giving the song a tough, biker doom vibe over which Mr. H. Butcher shouts, sneers, and croons like a man possessed. It’s a weird mash-up of Pentagram and Cathedral and just heavy enough to convince. The Friends lean harder into their Cathedral affections on “Gran Inquisitor” which could have appeared on any of the better Lee Dorrian-led outings with big riffage laying the foundation for odd vocalizing and eldritch mood conjuring. I love when Butcher gravely intones “Evil witch!” with a palpable disgust that would make even Matthew Hopkins himself proud. “Bringer of Evil” injects a trve metal energy akin to Vigigoth and Argus and it works surprisingly well, getting my sword hand twitching and making me want to mete out justice and wengeance. Hellbutcher does a fine job inspiring bloodlust and glory and the guitar play by new slingers Beelzeebubth (Mystifier) and Nikolas Moutafis (Solitary Sabred, Mirror) is rock solid. The requisite Black Sabbath debts are paid on “Snakes Not Sons” which sounds like something off of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. The leads are pure Iommi and you can easily imagine Ozzy singing this.

The standout moment hits with “Cross Inverter” which is just big stupid fun, dragging classic doom tropes into lusty over-exaggeration as Hellbutcher goes all in. It’s like the most bombastic moments of early Saint Vitus and also reminds me of the over-the-top bits of Briton Rites’ greatly underappreciated debut. The chorus is good fun and there are killer harmonies and leads to marinate in. Elsewhere, “Let the Devil Take You” manages to cram in a vague Mercyful Fate flavor. There are no duds here, though not every song will crush you under its steel boot. “Arcane Macabre” and “Ave Satanatas” are decent but not essential, and closer “All the Colors of the Dark” runs 2 minutes too long. At a reasonable 46 minutes, God Damned You to Hell is an easy, breezy spin with only a few moments that lag.

I was disappointed to learn Albert Witchfinder was no longer friends with Hell since I’ve always had a soft spot for his wonky, weirdo vocals. Hellbutcher’s enthusiastic efforts quickly won me over, however, and it turns out he’s an excellent fit for the Friends of Hell modality. He’s surprisingly versatile and can sing in the classic doom style better than you’d expect. Naturally, he hams it up like Easter dinner but that’s a big part of the fun. I’m also impressed by the guitar tandem of Beelzeebubth and Nikolas Moutafis. They do justice to the early 80s doom sound and pepper each song with catchy riffs, and their harmonies and solos are also quite striking. They even toss in little surprises like the Darkthrone-esque accents on “All the Colors of the Dark.”

I didn’t expect a whole lot from God Damned You to Hell, but I enjoy it a bit more than the debut. The style Friends of Hell pay homage to lacks a large demographic these days, but for folks who grew up with it, this will trigger all kinds of nostalgic tingles and tickles. If you enjoy the old Saint Vitus and Pentagram platters, this is a no-brainer. If you need more doom in your life regardless of era, you should become friends with Friends of Hell. It would be wise, my friend.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Rise Above
Website: instagram.com/friends.of.hell.official
Releases Worldwide: April 5th, 2024

#2024 #30 #Apr24 #Cathedral #DoomMetal #FriendsOfHell #GodDamnedYouToHell #InternationalMetal #Necrocurse #Nifelheim #Pentagram #ReverendBizarre #RiseAboveRecords #SaintVitus