Psych doom - does it exist? or, "Why isn't there a WITCHCRAFT thread yet?"

Pharoah Overlord, eh? The Finnish group, you mean? Hmmm. I think I'm playing with some of those dudes in a few days, maybe I'll hit up the merch table...

And your band is...?

Circle at Arthurfest will be a lovely thing.

They were great live when I saw them in Leeds. I didn't have either album before then but I did before I left the show.

This is what always happens. I'm gonna have to end up making this music myself, because it simply doesn't exist.

C'MON BRO, THATS RETARDED.

LISTEN TO BARONESS!!!!!!!!!

BUT ASKING FOR METAL THAT HAS NO BLACK SABBATH WORSHIP IS DUMB.

Maybe I'll just play the live Trad Gras bootleg from 72 and that amazing new Om album at the same time.

Maybe I'll check out Pharaoh Overlord. Isn't that the Circle guy?

growing kinda had a drone/metal/psych vibe to it. but none of my metal fan friends liked it. metal has fairly identifiable traditions.

lot's of bands usin trad folk instruments and flexing prog/classical roots in their metal... for side trips and weird outs... but it's all very rooted in serious technical chops. OR like the stoner/doom rockers, it's pulsing with volume and bass and so naturally ddb otm on the black sabbath rootage.

m.

"psych" is such an abused term. ugh. apologies.
m.

Everyone on earth should listen to Residual Echoes, whatever you call it.

becoming?!??!?? i remember dudes using it as a derogatory term 10 years ago.

I like Electric Wizard - sorry, I guess I'm just being difficult. Is it fair to say there's not enough of a 'dark hippie' element to it? They're More like raging, wastoid drunk style than commune freakout style.

Will check out Aural Fit.

If you want some strange, rather 60s/70ish guitar tones in a doom death context, you could try getting hold of a copy of Ras Algethi's "Oneiricon: The White Hypnotic." Last I checked it was out of print- not sure if Wounded Love ever reissued it. That might be a tall order.

New album is awesome!! Much prefer it to the 2nd album.

This really is great and I haven't even got the the last track which is a 14 min epic.

ohhh saxophone on 2nd last track!!

oh man need this - what's it callled??

obvious answer to the original question - acid mothers temple

Dunno, Yob and Ufomammut seem even moreso, cuz the AMT stuff isn't really DOOOOM - more doomy, doomish. What about Monster Magnet's Tab, either version, or Mammatus? Fucking heavy duty space trucking. Dead Meadow are druggy enough, but the gtr work isn't really spectacular - just okay. Major Stars are starting to move into stoner/doom territory, and they certainly meet the High Rise threshhold for epic string mangle.

I'm surprised, though, that more troo doom bands like Om and Ocean don't just drop shitloads of psych guitar over the dirge pound - here and there at least, even if it's mixed back. More than the the occasional NWOBHM solos you get with outfits like Asunder, I mean. Some real fucking damage would be nice.

If Monster Magnet are in the picture, Chrome have to be - maybe later, slow & heavy stuff like 'Third From The Sun'

I only mention Monster Magnet cuzza "Tab", maybe "Nod Scene" (fucking awesome Glitterhouse EP version) and the final minutes of Ozium. Most of their stuff isn't anywhere near doom, and when they lost Ed, they everything interesting about the guitar playing.

Third From the Sun is a great call. Esp. Armageddon, Shadows of 1K Years, title track.

Lots of Chrome fans I know dislike 'Third From The Sun' because it IS so doomy. The Chrome live and studio improv stuff (I forget titles) shows a similar tendency.

I'm surprised, though, that more troo doom bands like Om and Ocean don't just drop shitloads of psych guitar over the dirge pound

Ocean came close when I saw them a few weeks back - they played a new song that opened with wailing uptempo guitar riffs and some pretty great extended cymbal crashes. It sounded to me like a very heavy version of some of UFOmammut's breakdowns. I have no idea if it will make it onto their upcoming album, but Reuben (the bass player) said they've been trying to introduce some new elements to their sound.

They were amazing, as per usual.

Damn! Now I wanna go see Ocean. Again.

Anyway, also oughtta mention Boris and Eternal Elysium. In spite of all the hype, Boris seems like the real obvious answer here - esp on the dreamy, epic stuff like Flood. And dropping the doom/metal angle for more laid-back stoner rock, you could do a hell of a lot worse than Colour Haze. German band, probably far too "tasteful" for this thread. At that point you start overlapping w/ the Bevis Frond.

One should always want to see Ocean again!

Of course, I'm biased - I could see them at least once a month since they're homebase is around the corner.

Now listening to Striborg - psych doom as fuck!

Troo, but where the solos?

And hey wait. If Striborg brand Nosferatu BM = doom, then we might as well throw in the towal and say it's all doom. ALL AM DOOM. DOOM AM ALL.

Whole lotta BM seems both psych AND doom - we need some experts!

lugbrum's al-ghemist is psych and doom as hell.

DEFINITELY my favorite psych-doom album of the year:

http://www.myspace.com/graveinthesky

and my typically hyperbole-laden review of same:

http://www.decibelmagazine.com/reviews/oct2007/graveinthesky.aspx?terms=grave+in+the+sky&searchtype=2&fragment=True

I'm with Bob Standard about UFOMammut. To me they are the personification of psych doom, in that they evoke feelings of dread and doom better than most of the groups mentioned here, but still have that hypnotic psych thing going on. I kind of put some of Electric Wizard's stuff in the same category.

I like Mammatus a lot - have seen them live a few times - but they don't evoke feelings of doom for me.

Grave in the Sky is pretty fucking cool sounding. Definitely fit the psych-doom category for me.

AMT is straight psych. To me their more Sabbathy records are boring and dreary compared to their other stuff.

I want to hear MOAR psych doom.

Woke up hung over this morning to discover I'd bought a Striborg CD online sometime after contributing to this thread.

I'm doomed . . DOOMED!

Gonna pick up the new Witchcraft album at Metal Haven tonight. Aquarius on The Alchemist:

Oh man. The third album from the Swedish prog/psych/doom wizards Witchcraft is finally here. We can barely contain ourselves. They say third time's the charm, and of course with Witchcraft it can't help but being so, since the first two times were charmed as well. This band's debut destroyed us with its incredibly authentic retro Pentagram/Sabbath stylings, with lashings of flute and folkiness too. Their second album, Firewood, captivated us with an equally early '70s heavy progressive vibe. Now The Alchemist succeeds at giving us what we want from Witchcraft -and- pushing further into the realm of melodic, folky proggy rock that stands on its own far beyond being a mere tribute to its '70s ancestors.

Guitarist/singer Magnus Pelander and his band Witchcraft have pretty much proved that the old adage "they don't make 'em like they used to" isn't always true. Witchcraft sure as hell does. That it's 2007 not 1972 isn't evident from anything on here, though it sounds as fresh as a daisy at the same time. These guys are so old school analog you halfway expect that their cd would be made out of black plastic and have visible grooves in it. We certainly could imagine some DJ's looking for breaks wanting this on vinyl real bad, you could do some badass hiphop mix with parts of "Remembered" ferinstance. Bet Andy Votel digs this band. Totally sounds like they could have gotten a deal with his favorite progressive record label back in the day (that'd be the famed Vertigo) had Witchcraft really existed in the '70s... certainly the inclusion of the sax solo (yes, a sax solo!) at the end of "Remembered" helps make it sound like something from an old Vertigo LP! Elsewhere Witchcraft get super sweet and gentle, or break out the heavy riffs Sabbath style (like you'd expect -- Sabbath originally being a Vertigo band y'know) in a blend we can't help but love.
Magnus' emotive, melodic vocals are so crucial here, one of this record's shining strengths. He still sounds a bit like a Swedish-accented Ozzy, yet with a graceful finesse, belting it out expressively or crooning with lilting loveliness. His vocals are matched by the absolutely powerful and gorgeous guitarwork throughout the disc. This album sweeps us off our feet immediately with the instant-classic opener "Walk Between The Lines", which is followed by a re-recorded version of the A-side of last year's 7" single, "If Crimson Was Your Colour", an urgent, witchy rocker embellished with some tasty Moog licks. Then there's the loping "Leva", which though Magnus sings it in Swedish, still goes straight to our soul. The Sabbath factor is ratcheted up on "Hey Doctor", a lumbering doom-riffed downer lamentation/accusation. The next track, "Samaritan Burden" combines the heavy riffs with a mellower mood and more acoustic-y moments, masterfully structured. It's followed by the aforementioned "Remembered", definitely an album-standout that's so '70s in so many ways that pretty much only Witchcraft could have done it in this day and age. And then, speaking of standouts, comes the nearly 15 minute long title track, "The Alchemist"! We'll omit description other than to say it's of course an epic mindblower, closing the album with magnificent, mesmeric, proggier than thou flourish.

Definitely a Top 10 Best of 2007 album. We'd have made it Record Of The Week, but what we've got here is the somewhat pricier Japanese import edition (the domestic version is due out towards the end of the month), with a Japan-only bonus track added on at the end, "Sweet Honey Pie", a lovely, acoustic little number. Not sure when/if we'll get more, so we were wary about giving it pole position. But with or without bonus track, it's an AMAZING new effort from this fantastic band, highly recommended. Seriously, we'd have been happy taking all day to write this review, just 'cause we love listening to this album so much.

i still need the new witchcraft album. they iz cool fer sure. and i need new electric wizard too. i'll get around to them eventually.

it rules i think. my favorite one so far on first impression. the vibe's more pop on this one, but the end song's an all out multi-part ten-minute plus suite-jam

space organs closing out "if crimson was your colour" rule for sure. booklet art shows the chrysalis and then birth and then skeleton of a little fairy girl. sample awesome lyrics: "within the darkest hour/when the dragon releases its power/they feel the urge to meet/to share and to intertwine//beneath the leader of the horde/men and demons are sworn/to ill and grant his grace/they are reflections of the devil's face." one of the songs is in swedish

its kinda boring :/

solve this riddle, though, chaki: the answer lies within. tantoblin knows where the hierogram is

Typical that hipster-ass Aquarius didn't even know that "Sweet Honey Pie" is a cover of a Roky Erickson song (which by the way was previously released on a tribute comp). Way to know your rock history, nigels!

Great album though.

If you want thick fuzzy guitar rock that stays out of the spectre of Sabbath, I'm not sure this really fits, but the Pelt album Max Meadows is fuckin rad. It's not metal by any stretch of the word, but worth checking out.

Just saw Witchcraft at the Double Door. Dang that was fun. They rocked long and hard, slow and fast...I usually get bored at some point at most shows, but I just spaced out a little bit. Probably was the secondhand weed smoke. A guy from Trouble jumped in at one point. I didn't recognize the song, it was probably a Trouble cover as it was a bit quicker tempo. I bought a band t-shirt for the first time in years!

WITCHCRAFT Signs With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS

After a five-year recording hiatus, WITCHCRAFT is currently tracking the follow-up to 2007's "The Alchemist" with renowned producer Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (KREATOR, OPETH, AMON AMARTH, PARADISE LOST, KATATONIA) in Örebro, Sweden. Tentatively titled "Legend", the CD will mark the recording debut of the band's new members Simon Solomon (guitar), Tom Jondelius (guitar) and Oscar Johansson (drums). Going forward, WITCHCRAFT leader Magnus Pelander will focus on his unique vocals without playing guitar anymore.

Flying largely under the radar of the popular music landscape previously, WITCHCRAFT is a hallowed name in underground circles and has found itself championed by a diverse cross-section of distinguished music adherents including American actor Elijah Wood, who publicly called the band "amazing," and DOWN frontman Philip Anselmo, who in 2009 proudly proclaimed WITCHCRAFT as his "new favorite band."

They sure took their sweet time. Good thing Graveyard, who they're now label-mates with, came around. Both bands should have new albums this year.

http://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2012/05/16/thestrangecaseofwitchcraftvgraveyard/

So what was the verdict on "Legend" in these parts? I don't want to sift through the rubble at the 2012 Metal thread for reactions...

I finally got a hold of it and have listened to it a few times in a row now. It's a lot different than what I have come to expect from the band, but as much as I miss the retro-psyche that they came to be known for, I like a lot of the record. It's as if they decided to simply make a rock record, kinda like Baroness did, and they can't help but make a good one. Modernity suits them far more than I would have figured.

I thought it was fine, but merely fine still makes it the least of their albums. A couple of good tracks, but compared to the two that preceded it a bit of a let down.

just found witchcraft/firewood on cd for 50p.

5 tracks in and this sounds fantastic.