#the-sword — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #the-sword, aggregated by home.social.
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The Sword and Red Fang will hit the road this summer with Spoon Benders.
Details: https://metalinsider.net/touring/the-sword-red-fang-announce-summer-2026-us-tour-with-spoon-benders -
NWS has updated this, & it looks a little worse. But I'd have to link to Xitter to show it, & I assume @\nwsraleigh_bot will get caught up eventually.
https://triangletoot.party/@nwsraleigh_bot/115898997001290108
#wx #NCwx #DurhamNC #TheSWord #FrenchToastEmergencyNotification
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NWS has updated this, & it looks a little worse. But I'd have to link to Xitter to show it, & I assume @\nwsraleigh_bot will get caught up eventually.
https://triangletoot.party/@nwsraleigh_bot/115898997001290108
#wx #NCwx #DurhamNC #TheSWord #FrenchToastEmergencyNotification
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DESERTFEST 2026 (Weekend Tickets) @ Various Venues, Camden - 15 May feat. Green Lung, The Sword, Earthless + more
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Suncraft – Welcome to the Coven Review
By Spicie Forrest
I first became acquainted with stoner rock while attending college and skiing in Salt Lake City. Whether carving the corduroy or taking face shots of bottomless pow, the raucous groove of the style made for a great soundtrack. I’ve largely moved on to heavier and less accessible pastures, but once in a while, something brings me back. This time, it was Suncraft, a five-piece formed in Oslo, Norway in 2017; I couldn’t let a genre tag like “stoner/black/pop” pass by unyoinked. We missed their 2021 debut, Flat Earth Rider, but I’m here to give their sophomore effort, Welcome to the Coven, the proper AMG treatment.
Suncraft has historically relied on mid-paced stoner rock, but their second LP sees the band move in a different direction. Welcome to the Coven is what happens when Queens of the Stone Age wields The Sword and walks The DOGS. It’s riotous, retro, and downright groovy. With a triple-pronged attack, guitarists Vebørn Rindal Krogstad, Sigurd Grøtan, and Jens Henrik Kverndal let loose a wildly infectious salvo of stoner and garage rock. “Welcome to the Coven” and “Forgotten Goddess” rip across the desert in an old convertible Mustang powered solely by diesel and sativa. “Love’s Underrated” gives garage revival and a little Japandroids, while “Wizards of the Anger Magic” opens on The Beach Boys and pays heavy tribute to The Ramones. Mixed into this strong foundation you’ll also find riffage stained black (“Ragebait”), pop punk angst (“Greed Battalion”), posty and proggy diversions (“High on Silence”), and even a millennial whoop or two. These are disparate elements to bring under one umbrella, but like fellow countrymen Kvelertak, Suncraft pull it off well.
In a brew stereotypically known for wanton abandon, Welcome to the Coven succeeds through restraint. Post-black and pop punk normally make bridge- or hook-centered appearances, being used as means to build drama and release tension rather than ends in themselves. Drummer Tobias Paulsen utilizes a predominantly upbeat rock style, but he’s got a full toolbox. He deploys d-beats, hooks and fills, blast beats, and tempo changes with precision for maximum emotional impact (“Love’s Underrated,” “Welcome to the Coven”). The same can be said of bassist/singer Rasmus Skage Jensen, whose strings feel elementally nostalgic, both in tone and in their intentionally dynamic grounding of hooks, leads, and rhythmic support. And by keeping a normally tight grip on his vocals, the moments when Jensen lets loose and pushes his pipes to their limit shine all the brighter (“Greed Battalion,” “Forgotten Goddess”). Rather than employing an unchecked, maximalist style, Suncraft’s tempered and deceptively meticulous songcraft elevates Welcome to the Coven far above the sum of its parts.
Suncraft doesn’t treat the incorporation of these various flourishes as puzzles to be solved. Instead, every element on Welcome to the Coven seems chosen and placed to best support a deliriously and irresistibly fun grand design. This approach and Suncraft’s success with it grant them an inimitable air of sprezzatura.1 Krogstad, Grøtan, and Kverndal spin around each other so naturally, offering inspired counterpoints (“Wizards of the Anger Magic”), tossing in pristine fills (“High on Silence”), and passing leads and solos like a hacky sack (“Love’s Underrated,” “Forgotten Goddess”). I don’t for one second believe that Jensen’s interjectory “fuck it” on “Greed Battalion” or Paulsen’s double bass in “Welcome to the Coven” are off the cuff; this album is far too good for that. But when I hear the killer solo in “Love’s Underrated,” the exceptional back half of “Charlatan Killer,” or the barely controlled chaos that is “Forgotten Goddess,” I can’t help but be awed by the explosive synergy on display here—and the casual effortlessness of it.
I had high hopes when I picked up Welcome to the Coven, and from the first seconds of “Ragebait” to the final cymbals of “Forgotten Goddess,”2 Suncraft blew me away. The chorus of “Charlatan Killer” was the only exception, being merely good in a sea of great. Each track on Suncraft’s sophomore effort fits together naturally and neatly in a singular, unified vision. Primally familiar like the mythical dog days of summer, Welcome to the Coven is an astoundingly fun ride. By the end of its 40-minute runtime, I’m invariably left craving more. And if that isn’t the mark of a great album, I don’t know what is.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: All Good Clean Records
Websites: Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: November 21st, 2025#2025 #40 #allGoodCleanRecords #blackMetal #garageRock #japandroids #kvelertak #norwegianMetal #nov25 #popPunk #queensOfTheStoneAge #review #reviews #stonerRock #suncraft #theBeachBoys #theDogs #theRamones #theSword #welcomeToTheCoven
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Suncraft – Welcome to the Coven Review
By Spicie Forrest
I first became acquainted with stoner rock while attending college and skiing in Salt Lake City. Whether carving the corduroy or taking face shots of bottomless pow, the raucous groove of the style made for a great soundtrack. I’ve largely moved on to heavier and less accessible pastures, but once in a while, something brings me back. This time, it was Suncraft, a five-piece formed in Oslo, Norway in 2017; I couldn’t let a genre tag like “stoner/black/pop” pass by unyoinked. We missed their 2021 debut, Flat Earth Rider, but I’m here to give their sophomore effort, Welcome to the Coven, the proper AMG treatment.
Suncraft has historically relied on mid-paced stoner rock, but their second LP sees the band move in a different direction. Welcome to the Coven is what happens when Queens of the Stone Age wields The Sword and walks The DOGS. It’s riotous, retro, and downright groovy. With a triple-pronged attack, guitarists Vebørn Rindal Krogstad, Sigurd Grøtan, and Jens Henrik Kverndal let loose a wildly infectious salvo of stoner and garage rock. “Welcome to the Coven” and “Forgotten Goddess” rip across the desert in an old convertible Mustang powered solely by diesel and sativa. “Love’s Underrated” gives garage revival and a little Japandroids, while “Wizards of the Anger Magic” opens on The Beach Boys and pays heavy tribute to The Ramones. Mixed into this strong foundation you’ll also find riffage stained black (“Ragebait”), pop punk angst (“Greed Battalion”), posty and proggy diversions (“High on Silence”), and even a millennial whoop or two. These are disparate elements to bring under one umbrella, but like fellow countrymen Kvelertak, Suncraft pull it off well.
In a brew stereotypically known for wanton abandon, Welcome to the Coven succeeds through restraint. Post-black and pop punk normally make bridge- or hook-centered appearances, being used as means to build drama and release tension rather than ends in themselves. Drummer Tobias Paulsen utilizes a predominantly upbeat rock style, but he’s got a full toolbox. He deploys d-beats, hooks and fills, blast beats, and tempo changes with precision for maximum emotional impact (“Love’s Underrated,” “Welcome to the Coven”). The same can be said of bassist/singer Rasmus Skage Jensen, whose strings feel elementally nostalgic, both in tone and in their intentionally dynamic grounding of hooks, leads, and rhythmic support. And by keeping a normally tight grip on his vocals, the moments when Jensen lets loose and pushes his pipes to their limit shine all the brighter (“Greed Battalion,” “Forgotten Goddess”). Rather than employing an unchecked, maximalist style, Suncraft’s tempered and deceptively meticulous songcraft elevates Welcome to the Coven far above the sum of its parts.
Suncraft doesn’t treat the incorporation of these various flourishes as puzzles to be solved. Instead, every element on Welcome to the Coven seems chosen and placed to best support a deliriously and irresistibly fun grand design. This approach and Suncraft’s success with it grant them an inimitable air of sprezzatura.1 Krogstad, Grøtan, and Kverndal spin around each other so naturally, offering inspired counterpoints (“Wizards of the Anger Magic”), tossing in pristine fills (“High on Silence”), and passing leads and solos like a hacky sack (“Love’s Underrated,” “Forgotten Goddess”). I don’t for one second believe that Jensen’s interjectory “fuck it” on “Greed Battalion” or Paulsen’s double bass in “Welcome to the Coven” are off the cuff; this album is far too good for that. But when I hear the killer solo in “Love’s Underrated,” the exceptional back half of “Charlatan Killer,” or the barely controlled chaos that is “Forgotten Goddess,” I can’t help but be awed by the explosive synergy on display here—and the casual effortlessness of it.
I had high hopes when I picked up Welcome to the Coven, and from the first seconds of “Ragebait” to the final cymbals of “Forgotten Goddess,”2 Suncraft blew me away. The chorus of “Charlatan Killer” was the only exception, being merely good in a sea of great. Each track on Suncraft’s sophomore effort fits together naturally and neatly in a singular, unified vision. Primally familiar like the mythical dog days of summer, Welcome to the Coven is an astoundingly fun ride. By the end of its 40-minute runtime, I’m invariably left craving more. And if that isn’t the mark of a great album, I don’t know what is.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: All Good Clean Records
Websites: Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: November 21st, 2025#2025 #40 #allGoodCleanRecords #blackMetal #garageRock #japandroids #kvelertak #norwegianMetal #nov25 #popPunk #queensOfTheStoneAge #review #reviews #stonerRock #suncraft #theBeachBoys #theDogs #theRamones #theSword #welcomeToTheCoven
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Concert Calendar (10/08-10/19) All Roads Lead to Buying Tickets!: The Sword, Cannibal Corpse, & more:
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#TheSword - #Freya ?! I think I need to get back into #metal again. Okay, with some bands... #music #headbanger youtu.be/5uLqJxQgJfQ
The Sword - Freya (Official Mu... -
Warcoe – Upon Tall Thrones Review
By Spicie Forrest
Certain decades and locations have a unique and instantly recognizable sound, like 90s hip hop, Florida death metal, 70s rock, etc. But such subgenres—at least for metal—are no longer regionally or temporally exclusive. There are American bands that play Swedeath and 2010s bands that play 80s thrash. In this postmodern era, iconic sounds of time and place are constantly worshipped, reimagined, and repurposed by new bands for a contemporary global audience. Warcoe is one such band. When I first heard the vintage doomsters, I thought them from the 70s or 80s, but they formed in Pesaro, Italy in 2021. Impressed with their retro style, I laid claim to their third full-length, Upon Tall Thrones, and spent some time reveling in the sounds of yesteryear.
From the first notes of opener “Octagon,” it’s clear Warcoe grew up on Black Sabbath and their progeny. Carlo’s bass is warm and velvety, while Stefano’s devious guitar tone compliments his Ozzy-esque vocals well. More than mere worshippers, Warcoe augments their classic sound with stoner rock and metal. “The Wanderer” and “Brown Witch” summon Monolord with mammothian riffage, while leaner, more energetic tracks like “I’ve Sat upon Tall Thrones (but I’ll Never Learn)” and “Spheres” strike a balance between Windhand, The Sword or Kadaver. Beyond doom and stoner metal, Warcoe also incorporates more classic styles. Stefano’s lead guitar never fails to impress, his hooks and solos recalling your dad’s favorite cuts from CCR or ZZ Top. As a whole, Upon Tall Thrones presents a nostalgic, vintage sound dressed in modern clothes.
While Upon Tall Thrones initially sounded great in the background, its faults appeared when I began paying closer attention. I love the timbre of Stefano’s voice, and it fits Warcoe’s style, but his delivery is fairly monotone. Stefano’s minimal range holds several good moments back from greatness (“I’ve Sat…,” “Dark into Light”). This may be a stylistic choice, but it grows tiresome around the midpoint. The production on Upon Tall Thrones is a much bigger issue. I’m not sure what happened between drummer Francesco sitting down to record and me downloading the files, but the drums skip and stutter quite a bit. It’s mostly confined to the cymbals, and it’s more noticeable on the back half, but I heard at least one instance on every track except drumless acoustic interlude “Gather in the Woods.” That track has its own problems, though, as static popping accompanies every. single. note. It’s maddening, I can’t unhear it, and it ruins an otherwise great acoustic break.
Faults aside, I still hear ambition and potential on Upon Tall Thrones. But for the tail end of “Deepest Grave,” there’s no bloat here. Warcoe is dynamic. Rarely does a riff overstay its welcome or a song miss its best endpoint. Even with two instrumental tracks smack dab in the middle of the album (“Gather in the Woods” and “Flame in Your Hand”), the energy doesn’t falter, and my attention doesn’t wander. Warcoe even manages a little successful experimentation. Blackened tremolos hover above the proceedings on “Dark into Light,” and the 16-bit, Wraith Knighted solo of “Flame in Your Hand” sends me hurtling down memory lane to play Final Fantasy IV. It’s Warcoe’s willingness to explore beyond their influences that makes me think they’re chasing something special here.
I try not to quote promo material, but in the case of Warcoe’s Upon Tall Thrones, “groovy doom from the abyss” and “vintage darkness with sharp and heavy riffs” work pretty well. Unfortunately, what excels in a casual environment falls short under closer scrutiny. My criticisms of Upon Tall Thrones aren’t apocalyptic, but they are consistent and pervasive, bringing the entire album down. This resulted in a lower score than I wanted, but I have hope for the future. Warcoe shows promise. If Stefano can expand his range and the band can both secure cleaner production and hone their unique sound, whatever succeeds Upon Tall Thrones has the potential for excellence.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: FLAC
Label: Ripple Music | Morbid And Miserable Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: September 26th, 2025#25 #2025 #BlackSabbath #CreedenceClearwaterRevival #DoomMetal #ItalianMetal #Kadaver #Monolord #MorbidAndMiserableRecords #OzzyOsbourne #Review #Reviews #RippleMusic #Sep25 #TheSword #UponTallThrones #Warcoe #Windhand #WraithKnight #ZZTop
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Warcoe – Upon Tall Thrones Review
By Spicie Forrest
Certain decades and locations have a unique and instantly recognizable sound, like 90s hip hop, Florida death metal, 70s rock, etc. But such subgenres—at least for metal—are no longer regionally or temporally exclusive. There are American bands that play Swedeath and 2010s bands that play 80s thrash. In this postmodern era, iconic sounds of time and place are constantly worshipped, reimagined, and repurposed by new bands for a contemporary global audience. Warcoe is one such band. When I first heard the vintage doomsters, I thought them from the 70s or 80s, but they formed in Pesaro, Italy in 2021. Impressed with their retro style, I laid claim to their third full-length, Upon Tall Thrones, and spent some time reveling in the sounds of yesteryear.
From the first notes of opener “Octagon,” it’s clear Warcoe grew up on Black Sabbath and their progeny. Carlo’s bass is warm and velvety, while Stefano’s devious guitar tone compliments his Ozzy-esque vocals well. More than mere worshippers, Warcoe augments their classic sound with stoner rock and metal. “The Wanderer” and “Brown Witch” summon Monolord with mammothian riffage, while leaner, more energetic tracks like “I’ve Sat upon Tall Thrones (but I’ll Never Learn)” and “Spheres” strike a balance between Windhand, The Sword or Kadaver. Beyond doom and stoner metal, Warcoe also incorporates more classic styles. Stefano’s lead guitar never fails to impress, his hooks and solos recalling your dad’s favorite cuts from CCR or ZZ Top. As a whole, Upon Tall Thrones presents a nostalgic, vintage sound dressed in modern clothes.
While Upon Tall Thrones initially sounded great in the background, its faults appeared when I began paying closer attention. I love the timbre of Stefano’s voice, and it fits Warcoe’s style, but his delivery is fairly monotone. Stefano’s minimal range holds several good moments back from greatness (“I’ve Sat…,” “Dark into Light”). This may be a stylistic choice, but it grows tiresome around the midpoint. The production on Upon Tall Thrones is a much bigger issue. I’m not sure what happened between drummer Francesco sitting down to record and me downloading the files, but the drums skip and stutter quite a bit. It’s mostly confined to the cymbals, and it’s more noticeable on the back half, but I heard at least one instance on every track except drumless acoustic interlude “Gather in the Woods.” That track has its own problems, though, as static popping accompanies every. single. note. It’s maddening, I can’t unhear it, and it ruins an otherwise great acoustic break.
Faults aside, I still hear ambition and potential on Upon Tall Thrones. But for the tail end of “Deepest Grave,” there’s no bloat here. Warcoe is dynamic. Rarely does a riff overstay its welcome or a song miss its best endpoint. Even with two instrumental tracks smack dab in the middle of the album (“Gather in the Woods” and “Flame in Your Hand”), the energy doesn’t falter, and my attention doesn’t wander. Warcoe even manages a little successful experimentation. Blackened tremolos hover above the proceedings on “Dark into Light,” and the 16-bit, Wraith Knighted solo of “Flame in Your Hand” sends me hurtling down memory lane to play Final Fantasy IV. It’s Warcoe’s willingness to explore beyond their influences that makes me think they’re chasing something special here.
I try not to quote promo material, but in the case of Warcoe’s Upon Tall Thrones, “groovy doom from the abyss” and “vintage darkness with sharp and heavy riffs” work pretty well. Unfortunately, what excels in a casual environment falls short under closer scrutiny. My criticisms of Upon Tall Thrones aren’t apocalyptic, but they are consistent and pervasive, bringing the entire album down. This resulted in a lower score than I wanted, but I have hope for the future. Warcoe shows promise. If Stefano can expand his range and the band can both secure cleaner production and hone their unique sound, whatever succeeds Upon Tall Thrones has the potential for excellence.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: FLAC
Label: Ripple Music | Morbid And Miserable Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: September 26th, 2025#25 #2025 #BlackSabbath #CreedenceClearwaterRevival #DoomMetal #ItalianMetal #Kadaver #Monolord #MorbidAndMiserableRecords #OzzyOsbourne #Review #Reviews #RippleMusic #Sep25 #TheSword #UponTallThrones #Warcoe #Windhand #WraithKnight #ZZTop
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By ClarkKent
LOMMI first formed in 2007, but these Swedes are essentially digital ghosts. You’d think an 18-year history would at least come with a multi-album discography, but I have no idea what these guys have done between then and the release of their latest (and possibly only) album, 667788. A Google search mostly pulls results for Tommy Iommi; they have no dedicated page on Metal Archives; and even their label, Majestic Mountain Records, has zilch about them on their site. This lack of a written history leads me to have some doubts about the promo’s claim that these guys are a “formidable force in [Sweden]’s heavy metal underground.” Still, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe they’re just too trve to have built up a digital presence. The promo blurb also states that 667788 was a “decade in the making,” so maybe these guys were just really busy with life. With these scant details at our fingertips, it’s time to play a dangerous, but exciting, game of promo bin roulette.
Turns out my doubts were ill-founded: 667788 is a blast. The promo describes LOMMI as traditional/groove metal, and while this isn’t the first style that popped into my head when I pressed play, it’s also not inaccurate. They rely on heavy, low-tuned guitars and chunky bass riffs to lay down infectious grooves. The bass line on “Down” carries strong influences of Pantera’s groove classic “Walk,” if Pantera were stoner doom. Stoner doom, to my ears, best describes their sound. The opening guitars on “Sayonara” bring to mind a cleaner, less fuzzy High on Fire, and the epic riffs and cymbal-drenched percussion on “Rather” conjure The Sword. They also sprinkle a little blues and a not-insignificant pinch of grunge, from Alice in Chains to Stone Temple Pilots. I can’t help but think of “Vaseline” when Jens Florén sings “There’s a fly in my room and it keeps me awake” on “Wish.”
While this might make them sound like a clumsily cobbled-together Frankensteinian monster, LOMMI plays with a high level of swagger. This swagger is apparent when Florén cackles on “Sayonara” and throws out a “yeah!” here and there. It’s also there in his thick and meaty guitar riffs, such as those that open the raucous “Blood Moon.” Florén’s voice evokes the spirit of Lemmy from Motorhead and his riffs carry the energy of Rob Zombie. He’s not the only source of the swagger, though. Dennis Österdal’s other band, Transport League, may have been trashed by Grier six years ago, but his bass serves as the backbone on “Down” and “Children,” adding healthy doses of heft and groove. To quote the BFG, that blues-y bass line on “Children” is “scrumdiddlyumptious.” Jörgen Tjusling proves a formidable presence behind the kit. He sets a disciplined, mid-tempo pace, though he occasionally goes ape-wild on the cymbals. There’s a moment on the back half of “Sayonara” where he summons Black Sabbath a lá “War Pigs.”
From the simple song titles to the tight songwriting, this trio seeks to prove the mantra that “less is more,” no matter how many times Angry Metal Guy quotes Yngwie Malmsteen’s “more is more” counterpoint. Over 8 songs, LOMMI provides 38 minutes of no-frills, high-octane fun. However, there are a few momentum-killing moments where songs meander with little purpose. Unsurprisingly, these moments occur on the only two tracks that surpass 5 minutes. While “Blood Moon” has some of my favorite riffs, the final few minutes go into freestyle jam session mode, where your mileage may vary. On “Children,” the bookends are terrific, but the middle portion feels like an entirely different, more sluggish song, a rare moment where the band seems unsure how to fill the time. These few minutes are just a minor issue, however, on an otherwise rollicking record.
667788 just may have put LOMMI on the map; at the very least, it put them on my map. It proves not just the prowess of the individual performers, but their songwriting acumen. Despite their limited credentials, they play as if they were masters of the craft, and that’s saying something for what is possibly a debut album. This one took me completely by surprise, and it’s one of those records where 750 words just isn’t enough to say everything I want to. Hopefully, it doesn’t take another decade to write the follow-up, but if you put out a record this good, who’s to dispute the process? If you love big riffs and big fun, don’t miss out on these guys.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Majestic Mountain Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: August 1st, 2025#2025 #40 #667788 #AliceInChains #Aug25 #BlackSabbath #Blues #DoomMetal #GrooveMetal #Grunge #HighOnFire #LOMMI #MajesticMountainRecords #Motörhead #Pantera #Review #Reviews #RobZombie #StoneTemplePilots #StonerMetal #SwedishMetal #TheSword #TransportLeague #YngwieMalmsteen
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By ClarkKent
LOMMI first formed in 2007, but these Swedes are essentially digital ghosts. You’d think an 18-year history would at least come with a multi-album discography, but I have no idea what these guys have done between then and the release of their latest (and possibly only) album, 667788. A Google search mostly pulls results for Tommy Iommi; they have no dedicated page on Metal Archives; and even their label, Majestic Mountain Records, has zilch about them on their site. This lack of a written history leads me to have some doubts about the promo’s claim that these guys are a “formidable force in [Sweden]’s heavy metal underground.” Still, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe they’re just too trve to have built up a digital presence. The promo blurb also states that 667788 was a “decade in the making,” so maybe these guys were just really busy with life. With these scant details at our fingertips, it’s time to play a dangerous, but exciting, game of promo bin roulette.
Turns out my doubts were ill-founded: 667788 is a blast. The promo describes LOMMI as traditional/groove metal, and while this isn’t the first style that popped into my head when I pressed play, it’s also not inaccurate. They rely on heavy, low-tuned guitars and chunky bass riffs to lay down infectious grooves. The bass line on “Down” carries strong influences of Pantera’s groove classic “Walk,” if Pantera were stoner doom. Stoner doom, to my ears, best describes their sound. The opening guitars on “Sayonara” bring to mind a cleaner, less fuzzy High on Fire, and the epic riffs and cymbal-drenched percussion on “Rather” conjure The Sword. They also sprinkle a little blues and a not-insignificant pinch of grunge, from Alice in Chains to Stone Temple Pilots. I can’t help but think of “Vaseline” when Jens Florén sings “There’s a fly in my room and it keeps me awake” on “Wish.”
While this might make them sound like a clumsily cobbled-together Frankensteinian monster, LOMMI plays with a high level of swagger. This swagger is apparent when Florén cackles on “Sayonara” and throws out a “yeah!” here and there. It’s also there in his thick and meaty guitar riffs, such as those that open the raucous “Blood Moon.” Florén’s voice evokes the spirit of Lemmy from Motorhead and his riffs carry the energy of Rob Zombie. He’s not the only source of the swagger, though. Dennis Österdal’s other band, Transport League, may have been trashed by Grier six years ago, but his bass serves as the backbone on “Down” and “Children,” adding healthy doses of heft and groove. To quote the BFG, that blues-y bass line on “Children” is “scrumdiddlyumptious.” Jörgen Tjusling proves a formidable presence behind the kit. He sets a disciplined, mid-tempo pace, though he occasionally goes ape-wild on the cymbals. There’s a moment on the back half of “Sayonara” where he summons Black Sabbath a lá “War Pigs.”
From the simple song titles to the tight songwriting, this trio seeks to prove the mantra that “less is more,” no matter how many times Angry Metal Guy quotes Yngwie Malmsteen’s “more is more” counterpoint. Over 8 songs, LOMMI provides 38 minutes of no-frills, high-octane fun. However, there are a few momentum-killing moments where songs meander with little purpose. Unsurprisingly, these moments occur on the only two tracks that surpass 5 minutes. While “Blood Moon” has some of my favorite riffs, the final few minutes go into freestyle jam session mode, where your mileage may vary. On “Children,” the bookends are terrific, but the middle portion feels like an entirely different, more sluggish song, a rare moment where the band seems unsure how to fill the time. These few minutes are just a minor issue, however, on an otherwise rollicking record.
667788 just may have put LOMMI on the map; at the very least, it put them on my map. It proves not just the prowess of the individual performers, but their songwriting acumen. Despite their limited credentials, they play as if they were masters of the craft, and that’s saying something for what is possibly a debut album. This one took me completely by surprise, and it’s one of those records where 750 words just isn’t enough to say everything I want to. Hopefully, it doesn’t take another decade to write the follow-up, but if you put out a record this good, who’s to dispute the process? If you love big riffs and big fun, don’t miss out on these guys.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Majestic Mountain Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: August 1st, 2025#2025 #40 #667788 #AliceInChains #Aug25 #BlackSabbath #Blues #DoomMetal #GrooveMetal #Grunge #HighOnFire #LOMMI #MajesticMountainRecords #Motörhead #Pantera #Review #Reviews #RobZombie #StoneTemplePilots #StonerMetal #SwedishMetal #TheSword #TransportLeague #YngwieMalmsteen
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The Sword extend ‘Warp Riders’ 15th Anniversary U.S. Tour:
#TheSword #WarpRiders #USTour #AlbumAnniversaryTour
Link: https://metalinsider.net/touring/the-sword-extend-warp-riders-15th-anniversary-u-s-tour
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By Mystikus Hugebeard
Once, Witchcraft were a prominent figure in the analog rock/metal scene, mentioned alongside acts like Orchid, Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, and The Sword. They treated us to some right bangers like 2005’s Firewood and 2012’s Legend, and I was eagerly anticipating whatever might come after 2016’s Nucleus. What eventually followed was the acoustic and intensely somber Black Metal, which struck me as less of a Witchcraft album and more as a hyper-personal form of artistic expression by multi-instrumentalist frontman Magnus Pelander, something meant for him and him alone. It’s an honest and compelling artistic work, but it can be difficult to recall amidst the context of Witchcraft’s proggy occult doom/rock discography. Now, with two fresh band members, Witchcraft have reincorporated the lo-fi buzz n’ fuzz of their analog roots in 2025’s Idag.
When I first snagged Idag, I was struck by Witchcraft’s label change from Nuclear Blast to Heavy Psych Sounds, but it becomes immediately apparent as to why upon first listen. Idag is notably fuzzier than Witchcraft’s previous work, leaning heavily into the stoner-doom sound. In some cases, this manifests as Pentagram-adjacent chugging doom in the beefy riffs of “Burning Cross” or the slowly building grooves of “Idag.” The Coven-meets-Sergeant Thunderhoof nature of proto-Witchcraft is still present in the faster grooves of “Drömmar Av Is” and “Drömmen Om Död Och Förruttnelse,” though they haven’t escaped a healthy coat of fuzz. Some moody Black Metal acoustics return as well, given a refreshing shot of vigor without sacrificing atmosphere like in “Christmas.” Idag is all around well-produced and well-performed; it’s easy to buy into Idag, whether you’re a newcomer or returning fan.
Then again, it’s never been hard to buy into Witchcraft, because Witchcraft have long since established a pattern of writing rock solid music, and that’s exactly what Idag is: rock solid. The best songs in Idag will often find a strong core groove and then let it carry the bulk of the weight. “Drömmar Av Is” is a punctual tune that lands on a critically funky groove right out of the gates and hammers it home with minimal distraction. This song contrasts well with the more varied tunes like the eight-minute opener, “Idag,” which follows a similar philosophy of sticking to strong core ideas, all of which are given appropriate time to germinate with a delightful tempo increase in the latter half to keep the song from stagnating. Idag’s riffs might not always be the most audacious or inventive riffs ever made, but they’re effective and catchy. Then again, Idag is undeniably elevated by Pelander’s killer pipes. He’s the sort of singer you could recognize in anything, and his rich voice adds a lot of character to the music. Unintentional or not, I enjoy the detail of his voice sounding oh-so-slightly off-key with some of the guitars in “Om Du Vill.” It’s a nice touch of authenticity and reintroduces some of the vulnerability from Black Metal.
That authenticity also strikes at the chord of what makes Idag work for me; to my ears, from a songwriting standpoint, Idag is the sort of thing one might hear blasting from a garage, whereupon you’d find a couple of lads bangin’ on their instruments in ways that Just Sound Neat. That unrefined quality, that coarseness, is something I cherish, and Idag scratches that itch. The lead guitars across Idag howl with warbling feedback, and I love the unrestrained summer fun of the drum and guitar fills in “Irreligious Flamboyant Flame.” It is a bit of a double-edged sword, though. I appreciate the grime, but I also recognize that Idag lacks the consistency and focus to truly hook me like Legend did. It’s not like Witchcraft are suddenly a “jam band” on Idag, but it’s giving the moniker some funny looks. There are just enough frustrating oddball choices to be noticeable. As a comparatively longer song and practical closer, “Spirit” lacks the escalation that made “Idag” work, and the chorus in “Irreligious Flamboyant Flame” is a bit limp. Furthermore, both “Gläntan (Längtan)” and the actual closer “Om Du Vill (Slight Return)” feel out of place and borderline pointless.
I was lukewarm on my first spin of Idag, but it has grown on me. It might not be the most essential Witchcraft record, but it is nevertheless worth the time of any Witchcraft fan or purveyor of fuzzy stoner jams. But no matter how I felt about Idag, it wouldn’t have been a more potent feeling than my relief that Witchcraft is still making music. I will always look forward to their next release.
Rating: 3.0 / 5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Websites: facebook | bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: May 23rd, 2025#2025 #30 #BlackMetal #Coven #Firewood #HeavyPsychSoundsRecords #Idag #Legend #May25 #OccultMetal #OccultRock #Orchid #Review #Reviews #SergeantThunderhoof #StonerMetal #StonerRock #TheSword #UncleAcidAndTheDeadbeats #Witchcraft
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#nowplaying The Sword - Warp Riders
Parts classic heavy metal, parts stoner rock. Just the right thing for a Sunday morning
