ALBUM REVIEW: Apostle of Solitude, "From Gold To Ash"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 23/02/2018

Label: Cruz Del Sur Music

“From Gold To Ash” is heavy as lead and in places just as toxic, guitars are like slabs of unyielding concrete, with the bulk of the album as dark as the blackest pitch in tone and content.  From opening instrumental “Overlord” to the closing “Grey Farewell”, Apostle of Solitude stake their claim for having recorded the best doom release of 2018.”

“From Gold To Ash” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Overlord

2). Ruination Be Thy Name

3). Autumn Moon

4). Keeping The Lighthouse

5). My Heart is Leaving Here

6). Monochrome (discontent)

7). Grey Farewell

The Review:

Indiana has produced some of the best metal ever in the form of The Gates of Slumber, and Apostle of Solitude continue in that fine doom tradition. Chuck Brown, the original drummer for TGOSfeatures on guitar and vocals, keeping a nice link to the Indianapolis doom scene. This is a rumbling, raw, traditional slab of doom metal. From opening instrumental “Overlord” to the closing “Grey Farewell”, the band stake their claim for having recorded the best trad doom release of 2018.

It's heavy as lead and in places just as toxic- “Ruination Be Thy Name” is as dark as they come. There are moments of sweetness in the interlude “Autumn Moon”, but the bulk of the album is as dark as the blackest pitch in tone and content. The guitars are like slabs of unyielding concrete and bassist Mike Naish's bass sound and playing come from a man who has hands thick with muscle. Most full length songs here are well north of the six minute mark, with “Keeping The Lighthouse” being concise at 6.23, but the likes of “My Heart Is Leaving Here” clock up close to ten minutes of playing time.

With that in mind, this is not an album for the casual doom fan; this is surely for the faithful, the aficionado- the dedicated. There is a traditional heavy metal influence here in places, both within the vocal melodies and even the riffs (just a lot slower) but really this is true doom all the way. “Monochrome (Discontent)” is a fine example- speed it up and it becomes something akin to Angel Witch. By the time of “Grey Farewell”, the mood of the album- that of grey skies, cold days and unending despairing regrets- has firmly taken hold. This is not for the faint of heart and is instead for the bravest among the doom warriors out there. It's also a brilliant record; deep and dark.

“From Gold To Ash” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

6 NEW BANDS: THE SLUDGELORD'S 666 Pack Review (November 2017)

By: Nikos Mixas
Art: Joshua M. Wilkinson 

Welcome to THE SLUDGELORD’s November installment of the 666 Pack Review!  As the weather continues to cool, we’re turning up the heat every passing month with 6 more victims….errrr…newish bands to review.  Each and every month we handpick 6review submissions and critique them by only using 6 words, then we rate them on a scale from 1to 666!  Check out our awesome holiday foods inspired rating scale below:

1– Do you know what Lutefisk is?  Well, I liken this band to it.  It stinks and it’s intolerable…

2- Fruitcake.  It’s almost ok to eat.  This band?  It’s almost ok to listen to.   

3– No matter how you slice it (no pun intended), this band is average, just like turkey.

4– It’s not the pumpkin pie that does it for me, it’s the whipped cream.  Yes, this band is sweet.

5– Green bean casserole with toasted onions and mashed potatoes with gravy….mmmm…mmmmm!  You see where I’m going with this???

666! – THE SLUDGELORD loves the tasty riffing, the sweet drumming so much that he’s going back for seconds! 

The 666 Pack Reviewis meant to offer humorous criticism and is not meant to hurt feelings, however, there are no safe spaces here.  THE SLUDGELORD is a picky listener…and doesn’t care what you think of his opinions….

Dirt War - “Loss” – (Buffalo, USA) Rating: 1

We’re off to a poor start…

  

Soyuz Bear - “Black Phlegm” (Toulouse, France) Rating: 3

Five seconds in, it’s all EYEHATEGOD.



Obscene - “Sermon to the Snake” (Indianapolis, USA) Rating: 2

Martin Van Drunen sounding sick.  Nope.   

    

Diuna - “The very best of the Golden Hits” (Torun, Poland) Rating: 3

I present thee…the Polish QOTSA

Apotelesma - “Timewrought Kings” (Utrecht, Netherlands) Rating: 3

The “vokills” ruined it for me.

Dumblegore - “Misanthropic Ritual” (New Jersey, USA) Rating: 5

When black metal meets Missing Persons.

Band info: Dirt War || Soyuz Bear || Obscene || Diuna || Apotelesma || Dumblegore