Post by thesoundmonitor on Jan 18, 2004 0:03:07 GMT -5
RAMESSES / NEGATIVE REACTION
Split EP
(Psychedoomelic) PSY 007
PsycheDOOMelic Records is joining the ranks of the few elite labels that one might describe as visionary. The label's impresario, Hegedus Mark, along with his crew of miscreants, are bringing the highest quality in riffing doom to us lucky music lovers. Whether it's a brand-new band or some criminally neglected group of veterans, psycheDOOMelic is not afraid to bring the doom until it hurts. This split is an excellent case in point.
Each band gets two songs. First up is Negative Reaction, who've been around since 1988 and whose first platter saw the light of day in '92. Back then they were basically a sludge band showing some pretty obvious hardcore roots. Thankfully (for my taste) they've evolved since then, keeping the sludge but adding in some bone-crushingly heavy cosmic doom. The rather high-pitched sludgey vocals have been mixed back a step to the level of the other instruments, while the guitarists are happy to show off their Sabbathy riffage. The tempos are a bit faster than is strictly traditional for sludge, and nods to science-fiction themes appear here and there, particularly in the song titles. This split continues to develop their trademark cosmic sludge doom, and then some. The 10+ minute second song, 'NOD,' boasts a bass so downtuned that the bassist could play jump rope with the strings. The Sabbathy goodness knows no bounds, and the power chords are sonic piledrivers that show no mercy. But hold on… is that a quiet break.with flute? Hmmmm, it’s got a cool Native American vibe, and works perfectly. Nice one.
You probably know that Ramesses, formed in 2003, consists of Mark and Tim from the hallowed Electric Wizard, with ex-Spirmyard Adam Richardson on bass and vox. Yep, Tim has graduated from bass to guitar. Their initial track, 'Master (Your Demons),' opens
with some creepy carnival organ before breaking into a chaotic Sabbathy churner with lots of evil guitar riffage going on. The music threatens to derail at any moment, like a burning locomotive on a rotting wooden bridge. Adam's vocals are sludgey and evil,
bellowing words like "demon" and "destiny." Both songs jam out hard, with a sludgey, doomed feeling that is reminiscent of Sleep, Sabbath, Grief, and maybe Bongzilla. This is definitely an interesting taster, and I can see Ramesses attaining ever-greater heights as they hone their chops.
PsycheDOOMelic has done a lot of doomsters and sludge fans a favor with this one. Whether you're into Sabbath or early Neurosis, Sleep or Man is the Bastard, there's something here for you. Oh yeah, and the Ramesses songs are available on a vinyl 7" as
well. How can something so evil make a music fanatic so happy?
Kevin McHugh
www.psychedoomelic.com/index2.html
Split EP
(Psychedoomelic) PSY 007
PsycheDOOMelic Records is joining the ranks of the few elite labels that one might describe as visionary. The label's impresario, Hegedus Mark, along with his crew of miscreants, are bringing the highest quality in riffing doom to us lucky music lovers. Whether it's a brand-new band or some criminally neglected group of veterans, psycheDOOMelic is not afraid to bring the doom until it hurts. This split is an excellent case in point.
Each band gets two songs. First up is Negative Reaction, who've been around since 1988 and whose first platter saw the light of day in '92. Back then they were basically a sludge band showing some pretty obvious hardcore roots. Thankfully (for my taste) they've evolved since then, keeping the sludge but adding in some bone-crushingly heavy cosmic doom. The rather high-pitched sludgey vocals have been mixed back a step to the level of the other instruments, while the guitarists are happy to show off their Sabbathy riffage. The tempos are a bit faster than is strictly traditional for sludge, and nods to science-fiction themes appear here and there, particularly in the song titles. This split continues to develop their trademark cosmic sludge doom, and then some. The 10+ minute second song, 'NOD,' boasts a bass so downtuned that the bassist could play jump rope with the strings. The Sabbathy goodness knows no bounds, and the power chords are sonic piledrivers that show no mercy. But hold on… is that a quiet break.with flute? Hmmmm, it’s got a cool Native American vibe, and works perfectly. Nice one.
You probably know that Ramesses, formed in 2003, consists of Mark and Tim from the hallowed Electric Wizard, with ex-Spirmyard Adam Richardson on bass and vox. Yep, Tim has graduated from bass to guitar. Their initial track, 'Master (Your Demons),' opens
with some creepy carnival organ before breaking into a chaotic Sabbathy churner with lots of evil guitar riffage going on. The music threatens to derail at any moment, like a burning locomotive on a rotting wooden bridge. Adam's vocals are sludgey and evil,
bellowing words like "demon" and "destiny." Both songs jam out hard, with a sludgey, doomed feeling that is reminiscent of Sleep, Sabbath, Grief, and maybe Bongzilla. This is definitely an interesting taster, and I can see Ramesses attaining ever-greater heights as they hone their chops.
PsycheDOOMelic has done a lot of doomsters and sludge fans a favor with this one. Whether you're into Sabbath or early Neurosis, Sleep or Man is the Bastard, there's something here for you. Oh yeah, and the Ramesses songs are available on a vinyl 7" as
well. How can something so evil make a music fanatic so happy?
Kevin McHugh
www.psychedoomelic.com/index2.html