Spiders are a neat little rock n’ roll outfit hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, featuring John Hoyles of Witchcraft and Axel Sjöberg of Graveyard (although at the time of this review he’s no longer in the band), but starring the foxy Ann-Sofie Hoyles as lead scream Queen, and I’ve waited on writing about them because it seems every time I sit down to do so they put out another single. Indeed, it all started back in January when Spiders released this here four-song EP on regular vinyl and picture disc, and given the aforementioned members penchant for the retro sound, this one definitely stinks of drugs and fuzz, but it also takes on much more of a sonic sexiness, no doubt due to Ann-Sofie’s tempting wiles. You might think a band like Spiders would come off sounding like Blood Ceremony or The Devil’s Blood given the dynamics, but they’re more dirty denim and sweaty leather than black robes and incense, and fall in line with the likes of the American electric dealers of the 60s and 70s, like Fred “Sonic” Smith jamming with Grace Slick. Spiders are a don’t-drink-what’s-in-the-red-cup kind of party, a backseat education for dark minds and idle hands. Anyway, Spiders then took this four-song EP and cut it in half, releasing two separate 7″ singles in the US in March, High Society b/w Gracious Man (Kemado Records) and Nothing Like You b/w Long Gone (Valley King Records). If that wasn’t enough, they then released another 7″ single in August on De:Nihil Records, featuring the brand new song “Fraction” and a cover of Alice Cooper’s “Under My Wheels.” We can now only hope a full-length is on its way. In the meantime, I’m gonna go drink what’s in the red cup and rock the fuck out.
I know this song isn’t on the self-titled EP, but videos are fun, so check out the video for “Fraction”!
Black Pyramid Stormbringer EP
Hydro-Phonic Records
Black Pyramid’s 2009 self-titled full-length debut was nothing short of devastating, and I mean that in the best way possible, of course. It’s a festering slab of warmongering fuzz often compared to a maligned mix of Black Sabbath, Sleep, and High on Fire, and it’s as close as you’ll get to a modern day doom classic, if such a thing exists. Well, the Massachusetts trio is back (on their own after a few splits) with two new songs, side A’s “Stormbringer” (not a Deep Purple cover) and side B’s “Cloud of Unknowing,” and both remain true to Black Pyramid’s rotting character but offer some subtle twists that hint at an evolving metal sound; “Stormbringer,” for instance, rides into battle at a Sword-like tempo and contains a mid-song breakdown reminiscent of Metallica’s “Orion” or “The Call of Ktulu” while “Cloud of Unknowing” opens in a more haunting, melodic death fashion akin to Swallow the Sun before it converts to crushing. If you’re not into Black Pyramid yet, now is the time. Guitarist/vocalist Andy Beresky is quickly emerging as one of my favourite in the genre, and assuming they haven’t sold out, this 7″ has an amazing die-cut cover and is available in both a standard and deluxe edition.*
*I was lucky enough to snag one of the 100 deluxe editions before they sold out. It came with glow-in-the-dark vinyl and a CD containing six songs (the two from this EP, three from Black Pyramid’s 2007 demo, and the vinyl-only track, “Macedonia,” from the self-titled full-length). To the best of my knowledge, though, the standard edition is still available.
Check out a video of Black Pyramid performing “Stormbringer” live!
Graveyard seem to be a strange pick-up for metal label Nuclear Blast, but there were days before speed and aggression when the psychedelic blues riffs of bands like Led Zeppelin and Blue Cheer were considered heavy metal, so if you want to look at it that way, the foggy longhair tumult of the Gothenburg, Sweden quartet’s retro rock is plenty metal enough. Shaking with raw, analogous boogie-doom and acid-fried magic, Hisingen Blues, the band’s second album, is rarefied fuzzdom, a kind of electric catnip that makes bell-bottomed leaf hounds go bat-shit. Much like its self-titled predecessor, Hisingen Blues baits you into unconscious reminiscing thanks to a sound best received via vinyl’s hypnotizing spin. Although Graveyard find themselves essential players in a growing Euro-led 70s revival with bands like Witchcraft, Ghost, The Devil’s Blood, Dead Man, and Asteroid, they bypass the more flagrant ceremonial/occult vibes of some of those bands (although they’re not shy on the demonic themes) for a more straightforward rock n’ roll approach that might call to mind a candlelit version of latter-day Hellacopters. Songs like “Ain’t Fit to Live Here,” “Hisingen Blues,” “Buying Truth (Tack & Förlåt),” “Ungrateful Are the Dead,” and “RSS” are propelled by pelvic power and sorcerous solos, while songs like “No Good, Mr. Holden,” “Uncomfortably Numb,” “Longing,” and “The Siren” take a dip into murky, mystic waters, and all the while vocalist/guitarist Joakim Nilsson replies in kind with an impressive range that stretches from Plant to Pelander as the situation warrants (sometimes within the same song). I predict this one will gain a hell of a lot of traction before the year’s out, and that’s all right with me, friends, because when the weird inherit the Earth, we’ll have Graveyard to thank.
Check out the video for the title track from Hisingen Blues!
Spiders
Black Pyramid
