(Grant Skelton steps in for round-up duty with this feature on two new albums. We’ll have a second round-up later today.)
THE OSEDAX
The Osedax (Latin for “bone devourer”) take their name from sea-dwelling worms who feast on the bones of dead whales. Yes. Enjoy that with your meal. Get more info here if you’re curious.
Islander reviewed the band’s first album Delayed Response way back in 2011. At the beginning of this month, the band released a follow-up called Titans Lament. For those who’ve been underwhelmed by doom this year, I submit this album for your consideration.
There are an assortment of different ingredients in this band. Slow tempos, sludgy screeches, melancholy atmosphere, all with a layer of blackened crust. And there is indeed a parasitic quality to the atmosphere. You won’t even notice it hollowing you out. That’s how subtle it is.
I hesitate to use words like “experimental” and “ambient,” as they are typically buzzwords that have been usurped of meaning. But in the case of The Osedax, I think these terms are very applicable. Give the track “The Fire Thief” a listen and you’ll see what I mean.
Titans Lament is a Name Your Price download on Bandcamp.
https://theosedax.bandcamp.com/album/titans-lament
https://www.facebook.com/TheOsedax
SWEET LEAF: A STONER ROCK TRIBUTE TO BLACK SABBATH
Just before Halloween, Cleopatra Records/Deadline Music released Sweet Leaf: A Stoner Rock Tribute To Black Sabbath. This compilation features covers by Pentagram, Cancer Bats, Witch Mountain (marking their first official track with Kayla Dixon on vocals), Ulver, Wo Fat, and a lot more.
Wo Fat in particular deserve a mention for their take on “Warning,” as this was always one of my favorite deep cuts from Black Sabbath (though technically, Wo Fat’s version is a cover of a cover). Also check out Ulver’s cover of “Solitude,” “Hand Of Doom” by Death Hawks, and “Sweet Leaf” by Weedpecker. Skip William Shatner (yes) doing “Iron Man,” unless you just need some comic relief.
Track List:
Cancer Bats – Into The Void
Mos Generator – Dirty Women
Bloody Hammers – Changes
Wo Fat – The Warning
Stoned Jesus – The Writ
Scorpion Child – Hole In The Sky
Death Hawks – Hand Of Doom
House Of Broken Promises – Lady Evil
MacHuca – Planet Caravan
Witch Mountain – Sleeping Village
Solace – Electric Funeral
Ulver – Solace
Pentagram – After Forever
Weedpecker – Sweet Leaf
Golden Void – Paranoid
William Shatner w/Zakk Wylde & Mike Inez – Iron Man
Stream the whole album on YouTube.
Get it on Amazon or iTunes.
9 Responses to “SEEN AND HEARD (PART 1): THE OSEDAX AND “SWEET LEAF (A STONER ROCK TRIBUTE TO BLACK SABBATH)””
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Brown Sabbath might still be the best cover album! Check it out if you haven’t already:
https://brownout.bandcamp.com/album/brownout-presents-brown-sabbath
Have heard some of Brown Sabbath, but not all. Will certainly take a second look!
Not bad! Makes me want to reach for some weed 🙂 Especially the Planet Caravan cover, that’s what I’m talking about.
Reminds me of waayy back when, in high school, Nativity In Black came out. I really thrashed that album, and that was first I heard of Type O Negative – on an album of largely top notch covers, it just took things to a strangely darker new level, and I was hooked.
Hooked on Sabbath worked for me! I remember both of the Nativity In Black albums. Reminds me of high school. Personally I can never get enough Sabbath.
I’ll have to search for that Cancer Bats song – I’ve liked a lot of the stuff I’ve heard from this comp, but haven’t caught that one. I also highly recommend the Golden Void cover of Paranoid, and also recommend checking out their new album Berkana. As a Thrill Jockey intern I’ve been packaging CD and vinyl for this for a few weeks (so if you opt for a physical copy you’ll get the added bonus of access to my fingerprints to implicate me in whatever crimes you may plan), but it’s an awesome psych rock/doom album with the guitarist from the inimitable Earthless.
Quality recommendations all! Thanks a lot.
The Osedax does drag you in and devour you so slowly that you wont notice until its to late. Unpleasant, yet spellbinding.
I think this album will hold its own against any other doom album released this year.
This sounds like a lot of fun, I’ll have to give all the tracks a listen 🙂