DMP-1922

Aggressive Rhythm
2017

Formed in 2014 and originally known as Witchtripper, New York hard rock/stoner rock/doom metal band DMP (Death Metal Pope) just released it's second EP last week. The gnarly three-track recording is entitled "1922" and with a run-time of twelve minutes and twenty three seconds it serves as the highly-anticipated follow-up to 2016's "Harvest". For those of you who are keeping count that makes two EPs in the two years that this Long Island-based group has been known as DMP. If you ask me that is a damn good speed rate for these (hard & heavy) occult riff-rockers! Speaking of all things occult, Pentagram's "Forever My Queen" is given the royal treatment thanks to the members of DMP. It's a picture-perfect fit next to the group's two original compositions, "13 Devils" and "Lord of the New Depression". Self-dubbed "Halloween Rock" on the group's bandcamp page, "1922" is the sound of one ghoulish metal group that has it all figured out! From this point forward I plan to follow DMP on their Facebook page.

Clouds Taste Satanic-Dawn Of the Satanic Age

Kinda Like Music
2016

Born of hellfire and brimstone in 2013, New York's stoned and alluring Clouds Taste Satanic has been everybody's  favorite instrumental doom metal band since at least 2014. Having left off with the excellent  "Your Doom Has Come", members Steven Scavuzzo (guitar), David Weintraub (guitars), Sean Bay (bass), and Christy Davis (drums) make round three the best one yet! By their own words it's "tighter, heavier, and more aggressive than ever". All of which is true. The only problem is they didn't go far enough with the disc's (well-deserved) description. Thanks to everything in-between and including "Enthroned" and "Demon Among The Stars" (with Side B's "The Brocken" the best thing that I've heard in AGES!), "Dawn Of The Satanic Age" is (as the British say) Damn Bloody Brilliant! That's all good. Yeah?  If so then why am I frowning? Well, to be perfectly honest I do have one tiny little complaint. With only six tracks and a run-time of thirty six plus minutes, "Dawn Of The Satanic Age" is a tad bit short for my tastes. No, that is being too kind. Highlighted as well by "We Die We Live" and "Just Another Animal" (two of the best doom metal tracks that I've heard lately), round three is nothing but a tease as far as I am concerned! Seeing as we have to wait a year in-between new releases, Clouds Taste Satanic is downright cruel to it's fans and to it's lovers!! Should I seek "Retribution" or should I just acknowledge the fact that I have been lead (willingly) to death's warm embrace?

Free Metal Monday: Wizard Bloody Wizard-Wizard Bloody Wizard

Self-Release/Independent
2016

Wizard Bloody Wizard (who were formed in 2013 and arguably sport one of the coolest monikers out there!) is a underground stoner rock/doom metal band that hails from Dubuque, Iowa and has at least one release to it's credit thanks to this freshly-delivered EP. The name-your-price "Wizard Bloody Wizard" features three somewhat ghoulish songs that are solid-enough even if they do sound as if they were recorded in a old decaying crypt somewhere in Transylvania! Sandwiched in-between slow and thick guitar riffs and some barely-audible vocals you'll witness this EPs inspired use of samples and it's all from a band whose lyrics focus on "the occult, witchcraft, H.P. Lovecraft, horror films and cannabis". This slightly-rough around the edges EP from Wizard Bloody Wizard should appeal to anyone who is into (garage worthy) sludgy doom metal and/or doom-infused underground stoner rock.