THE OBSESSED - "SACRED" (2017)

THE OBSESSED - "SACRED"
(Running time: 43:25 minutes; 12 songs)
("Relapse Records"; 2017; CD):

Hey folks, yes, next load'n'dose is already aimed and is now being fired @ you and here'n'now this means that my record-review on the still current full-length-album of/by no one else than the almighty THE OBSESSED is leaving the barrel for you. It's titled "SACRED" and was released via the great "RELAPSE RECORDS" (on CD and it wouldn't make me wonder if not also on LP) and this already in 2017. Last year I somehow always missed out on it... why ever, don't ask me any questions… but in my vacation-week this March of 2018 in Amsterdam I finally got my hands on it and took it with me - and this was definitely long, long overdue how I should soon came to realize it. And, yes, you know the story, sometimes life gets in the way of certain things and so it took me again… hm... 'some time' before I now finally come/came to doing this record-review on it and finally bringing it up. But anyway and anyhow and it don't matter if a 2017 or a 2018 release and so now, yes, let's roll: THE OBSESSED were formed back then already in 1979 with their first demo dating back from 1980 and here and now with "SACRED" we have their 4th official full-length-album and the first since "THE CHURCH WITHIN" from 1994, okay, I won't retell their very moving and changeable history over the last 39 years here and now simply because this would definitely demand a proper own tribute post to do them justice anyhow'n'anyway and so just let me state that THE OBSESSED definitely were and still are godfathers of Doom Metal and Doom Rock as well as Stoner Rock and Stoner Metal even they maybe themselves never sort of really used or maybe even never really liked that term(s) to sort of describe themselves, yes, and what I always especially liked and loved and still do so @ THE OBSESSED is the fact that THE OBSESSED always did their completly own and unique thing and maybe term(s) like Doom (Rock/Metal) or Stoner (Rock/Metal) truly never weren't and still aren't of that proper use to sort of describe THE OBSESSED in a proper and just way because they always had tons of, hm, let us name it: good old and Punk(rock) fueled Rock & Roll in their musick and they totally own their absoultely independent(ly) and unique position in the world of Doom (Rock/Metal) and Stoner (Rock/Metal) and standing proud, tall, and strong on this their very, very own position like also for example BLACK SABBATH, SAINT VITUS, and CANDLEMASS did and/or do so, too, yes, and THE OBSESSED's "SACRED" is sort of another manifest of/for this thesis and proof of/for it, oh hell yeahr, and so expect absolutely authentic and honest, heartfelt and also damn sympathic and boneshaking delivered dustdry and heavily 'punky' dirty rocking and grooving high energy and highly dynamic, nasty and snotty high octane and full throttle Rock & Roll with a totally no prisoners taking mindset, varying the pace of the songs and the rhythmic architecture as well as the playful arrangements and the in general breathtaking multi-layered soulful compositorial work of the songs very smart and skilled and smooth and this all the time and keeping it all so incredible fresh and damn  exciting and grapping, yes, so some really, really fantastic songwriting is a massive trademark of THE OBSESSED's "SACRED" and is in its very unique approach and with this amazing powerful and clichée-free and just totally dustdry unique 'desert-sand' tone only a further proof for the total autonomy of THE OBSESSED in the cosmos of Rock and Metal musick, yes, no matter if you now like to call it Doom or Stoner or how the hell else ever, ah, and really anthemic hymns that make you instantly clench your fists and fling them into the air and sing-a-long to THE OBSESSED created and placed also en masse here on "SACRED". Ah, and that THE OBSESSED here on "SACRED" do/did with the larger than life "IT'S ONLY MONEY" a phenomenal THIN LIZZY cover-tune should tell you also already quite a (bigger) bit. And so expect tons of high skilled and very independently and sheer full force dirty guitars, absolutely fantastic and charismatic vocals, a powerful gruff bass, and loud thundering drums that will make you take to highway full-throttle and with full-volume instantly. Thought-provoking and very strong'n'good lyrics, a true beauty of a gorgeous artwork, and a perfect snotty and heavy production-sound then round this absolute masterpiece perfectly up. Any favorites I won't name you because it simply wouldn't make that much sense after this album is completly on the same highest levels of skills and quality, oh yes, even "BE THE NIGHT", "PUNK CRUSHER", "COLD BLOOD", "STRANGER THINGS", "HAYWIRE", "SODDEN JACKAL", and "IT'S ONLY MONEY" probably have to spend the very most time here on heavy-duty rotation, if they want to do so or not, yes, I simply don't let them any other chance or choice. Okay, I think I've said already by far enough, yes, and so I will right now and right here close this very record-review and I can only very clearly recommend THE OBSESSED's "SACRED" to any of you into real and honest and authentic hard hitting metallic and punky Rock & Roll and to any of you into this target-group that why the bloody hell ever still really don't have or maybe even don't know it here's my clear and precise advice: Get it finally as soon as possible and best finally right now, period.

(10 of 10 points)

https://www.theobsessedofficial.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

THE OBSESSED - "BE THE NIGHT"/// live \\\ (2017, "SACRED")

BLACK WIZARD - "LIVIN' OBLIVION" (2018)

BLACK WIZARD - "LIVIN' OBLIVION"
("Running time: 45:29 minutes; 9 songs)
("Listenable Records"; 2018; CD):

Hey, my dear readers, yes, it's time or even maybe again about time that finally some new dose'n'load is coming up for and aimed at you, yes, and so 'it' does right now and right here and you now get my newest record-review and this time it's all about the newest offering titled "LIVIN' OBLIVION" of/by BLACK WIZARD from the cities of Vancouver and New Westminster in British Columbia in, of course, Canada and it was released still pretty recently this very year of 2018 via "LISTENABLE RECORDS" and I have it since last month and so now more or less exactly one full month and since this more or less full month it is pretty constantly and regulary on heavy rotation and this should tell you already quite a bit (if not- nearly- all). BLACK WIZARD were before "LIVIN' OBLIVION" totally unknown to me and so please don't expect any commentaries to or about their former releases or so, and instead of this I will concentrate solely on "LIVIN' OBLIVION" here and now. This is really very fascinating musick and it is really 'rich' in a sense of being diverse, multi-layered, and multi-facetted in an overwhelming way and above all it's incredible intense, atmospheric, and emotional and this really all the time. Damn fantastic!!! Music-wise BLACK WIZARD serve us a heavily grapping and really rousing, a truly overwhelming and immense conquering Doom Metal on all levels high skilled as fuck and massively enriched with/by dustrdry and boneshaking and pretty 'hypnotical' classical (Hard and Vintage) Rock marks that add to it all a highly cultivating Stoner Rock or (maybe better) Stoner Metal spirit to it all and the whole album, BLACK WIZARD's "LIVIN' OBLIVION", is marked by just absoultely amazing songwriting that's highly diverse and covering such 'wide territories of classy musick' and overwhelming big various emotions and serve it all ongoingly with that much fresh and organic intensity and with that incredible much of a dense/tight atmosphere that again and again you will find yourself being left with eyes, ears and mouth wide open, yes, and all is delivered by high skilled musicians that serve their very own Doom Metal/Stoner Metal with a through'n'through very own and unique character and identity that it is just and nothing less and nothing but totally amazing. Maybe best described as a totally independently and self-aware mixture out of THE OBSESSED and CANDLEMASS with some BLACK SABBATH in it all as well but all done sort of even more atmospheric (or maybe better with a totally unique brand of atmosphere to it all) and with a very own 'special' flavour cultivating it all, yes, and BLACK WIZARD are here on and with "LIVIN' OBLIVION" also not shying away from by Speed Metal filled Thrash Metal slashers that are perfectly integrated into the whole album and that even bands like TESTAMENT wouldn't do any better. The biggest trademarks are surely the powerful and full of 'big' expression and honest heartfelt emotions delivered clear and clean and impressive strong sung and delivered highly unique lead vocals as well as the ferocious guitars that shine all the time with their very own special tone creating a world totally of their or of 'it' very, very own and all is backed up by a rumbling bass and highly massive as well as diverse'n'skilled and incredible heavy and forceful punching full'n'pure high power'n'energy drumming that really adds a lot and I mean really a lot to the songs and the whole album as well. This is one of the best and pretty much most unique records I had and have the pleasure to listen to so far in 2018 and each and every song is purest platinum and I can nothing but recommend this fantastic piece of art and musick, that's also made round by very good and highly interesting lyrics, a gorgeous artwork, and a perfect heavy and yet very natural/organic production-sound, to any of you out there who's into intense, atmspheric, metallic and rocking musick of the highest (quality) grade and that's also damn fresh and re-freshing and nicely clicheé-free, too. Yes, and so what are you waiting for, damn it, get this masterpiece and with it definitely one of the very strongest albums we will get in this day'n'age of 2018. Absolutely amazing and fantastic and nothing but overwhelming, too.

(10 of 10 points)

http://www.blackwizard.org/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

BLACK WIZARD - "LIVIN' OBLIVION" (2018; complete album)

CKY - "THE PHOENIX" (2017)

CKY - "THE PHOENIX"
(Running time: 30:45 minutes; 8 songs)
("Entertainment One" & "SPV"; 2017; CD):

Hey guys, me again, next post, next record, next review, yes, and this time on the new album of/by a band that I also just recently discovered this very year of and in 2017, for what the damn bloody fuck reasons ever, and here and now it is all about the brandnew CKY full length release "THE PHOENIX" released still pretty recently in 2017 via "ENTERTAINMENT ONE" and "SPV"; and eight years that passed by since its proper actual full length precursor album "CARVER CITY" from 2009 the albumtitle is maybe pretty 'programmatic' or sort of. After CKY were (without any kind of justification) more or less (beside some cool shirts back then) totally unknown to me I will spare me any band introduction and will jump straight and direct into the action, yes, and I will do so this time with naming you the probably biggest "What's wrong with it? That's wrong with it!" part of the whole album... it's simply by far too short, its running time is way too damn short, point and fact. Beside this... damn it... this is a damn strong and really fresh and exciting and mostly nicely varying and diverse metallic as well as grungy modern Alternative (Hard) Rock album that leaves you truly demanding for more. Beside this there aren't really negative points. Surely not all is gold but really pretty much and it is all on a strong and really fucking good level of quality and with the lead voacls, hell yeahr, the singer is so incredible strong with his very cool and smooth and yet very forceful style and way of singing and intonation, oh yes, this is really, really damn very, very strong and a pretty unique and a the songs and the music very strong marking feature of CKY's music on "THE PHOENIX", bloody hell yeahr, with such a singer and such lead vocals delivered by such a singer you already have one hell of  a huge plus already from the get-go on your side and so do CKY here on and with "THE PHOENIX" and this without a single doubt. Beside the really outstanding vocals we get a big and strong guitar work that's really stunning and dustdry boneshaking heavy and yet very sensitive and melodic and above all really grooving as hell and wafting with smoothe and chilled tones and that's packed up full with grapping playful elements and shines with a lot of passion and soul in a really just nothing but cool (and also pretty unique characteristic) way and this with the riffing and in the rhythm department as well as and maybe even especially with some bombing lead and solo work, yes, also the guitars are a true trademark of the sound and music of CKY (at least here on "THE PHOENIX"). Then there is the strongly present walking and talking bass and the stunning and nicely massive drumming adding beefy meat to the bones of "THE PHOENIX" as well as a cool organ that's really enriching the songs in most parts heavily. The songwriting is also pretty fresh and focusses beside some nice surprises and play- and soulful moments especially on the strong arrangements of the rhythmic structure with their strong organic grooves and their in most parts strongly rousing alignment. And here definitely a bunch of skilled musicians is at work, yes, just for the record. Maybe imagine a very self-contained mixture out of AUDIOSLAVE, DANKO JONES, DEFTONES, some new METALLICA, a bit of CREED, and some PUDDLE OF MUDD, hm... maybe, and you get a good first impression of where to start with your imagination of what is waiting here for you with CKY's "THE PHOENIX". At the end of the day a bit more variations and a bit more diversity to the grooves and the rhythm structures and "THE PHOENIX" would be even more better but also so anyhow CKY delivered a really damn strong album here with it that also comes with strong lyrics, a beautiful artwork, and a pretty natural and yet fat'n'heavy production sound that's a perfect match to/with the music and my personal favorites are "REPLACEABLE", "DAYS OF SELF DESTRUCTION", "UNKNOWN ENEMY", "HEAD FOR A BREAKDOWN", and "BETTER THAN GET EVEN", yes, so maybe start your listening sessions with this most precious gems. CKY delivered with "THE PHOENIX" a really damn strong album that I can only recommend in a very sure and calm way to you, point and fact.
(8 of 10 points)
https://www.facebook.com/ckyalliance/?fref=ts (-the link to the facebook site of the band)

CKY - "HEAD FOR A BREAKDOWN" (2017, "THE PHOENIX")