Heavydeath – Sarcophagus in the Sky [2017; Aftermath Music, Flowing Downwards]

On their third album, Heavydeath provide over an hour of violent doom metal with gothic grandiosity, strong riffs put through lengthy runs, and atmospherics that are effective without overwhelming the music. The uncluttered instrumentation builds an impressively detailed and consistent mood, and while there is some repetition over the ~70 minutes, the band always seems aware of how much it’s showing up, and takes appropriate steps to subvert or celebrate it when it verges on excess. For such a large album, the songs flow into each other surprisingly well, but the rises and falls of energy within the individual songs leads to the album having some unsteady momentum, with the ending arriving rather abruptly. Outside of that, it’s excellent work, but not the best place for newcomers to start exploring the band’s catalog.

Wyatt E. – Exile to Beyn Neharot [2017; Fear Of Gun, Shalosh Cult]

On their second album, Wyatt E. again keep it down to just two large songs, this time with “Nebuchadnezzar II” and “Ode to Ishtar”. The A-side leads with a few minutes of keyboard atmospherics, running slow sitar-like synths against muted bass booms, until a comparatively urgent strain of electric guitar develops, proceeding from there through a steady intensification of pressure and volume, before dropping into a lengthy bridge, then rebuilding, then dropping off again for the finish. The B-side sets out with an assertive bass-line and drifting synth effects, and the eventual arrival of the guitar shifts it into a more energetic mode, which it follows for some time before trading back and forth with the synths. Interesting material with a strong sense of moody atmosphere, and despite the length of each track, neither really seems to drag.

Lolishit – My So-Called Lolicore [2017; self-released]

Bursting with percussion breaks, bass surges, anime samples, and blurts of noise, this eight-song release (with track titles like “Asuka Langley Soryu”, “There’s No Way I Would Regret This”, and “Nurse Witch Komugi”) zips through its run with high energy and an almost incessantly joking attitude. Some odd atmospheric effects, such as the high-pitched droning tones of
“My Two-Faced Little Sister”, help lift it above the usual level for the style, but for the most part, the emphasis is on overall energy more than individual moments.

Willie Nelson – God’s Problem Child [2017; Legacy, Sony Music, Sony Records Int’l]

Released 55 years after his debut album, God’s Problem Child shows Willie Nelson still performing in much the same style, just with more polish and experience shaping his song-writing. Some weariness is evident, but (as in “Delete and Fast Forward”) it’s usually accompanied with music in a challenging spirit, unwilling to fully indulge in the despair without finding some silver lining or turn of phrase to up-end it, the main exception being “It Gets Easier”. Nelson’s own compositions (all co-written with producer Buddy Cannon) are mixed in with those of other song-writers, including the title track, which features Leon Russell in one of his last recordings before his death in 2016.

Almost two dozen musicians besides Nelson lend their talents to the album, with younger performers including Alison Krauss on backing vocals and Ben Haggard (son of Merle) on electric guitar, alongside older guard like Tony Joe White and Kevin Grantt. The numerous arrangements of the line-up are brought together with impressive smoothness, thanks in no small part to Nelson’s charismatic presence, and the wandering tones and moods come off as a natural exploration of his musings. Quite a solid batch of songs, and a testament to Nelson’s continuing accomplishments.

Greytomb – Monumental Microcosm [2017; Transcending Obscurity Records]

Packing three tracks, this EP from the Australian group of Greytomb was their first since a self-released debut album, and for their second outing, the trio does an impressive job of balancing hammering assaults with thicker and heavier atmospheric focus. Attention to melody and tone inflections pays off with lush vibrancy, and the production finds a sweet spot between sharpness and fullness that does an excellent job matching the band’s shifts from savage to withdrawn. Very good work throughout, with the band pushing themselves to avoid settling into one easy mode.

Salem’s Pot – Live at Roadburn 2015 [2017; Roadburn Records]

With their first live album, Salem’s Pot pull from their last couple of albums, along with a single and a split, for five tracks of their heady, doom-drenched psychedelic rock. Playing freely with the tracks (the song pulled from the single, “Ego Trip”, is extended to more than twice its original run-time), the band brings more than a little jam flavor to its performance, which also leads to some interesting song transitions, like the harmonica linkage between “Pink Flamingos” and “Creep Purple”.

Despite the improvisations and elaborations that crop up, the band keeps the songs grounded with their hooky melodies and loaded riffs, and the intensification shown in the crescendos and other escalations is where the live renditions really show their fun. With the songs averaging out at about eight minutes each, there’s a good amount of material here, but it also suggests that the band could have easily put on a show of twice the length without flagging in their tranced-out heavy psych energy. Both a treat for fans and a strong intro point.

Нула – Кенома [2017; self-released]

With the three ~6-minute tracks of this EP, the Serbian group of
Нула

unroll some sludgy doom metal, with slick melody shifts being the most
distinguishing feature. The instrumental work is decent, with clear-cut
guitar lines coming together neatly with the bass underpinnings and
percussive counter-point, and while there’s not much to set them apart
from the masses of rough heavy metal (apart from a stretch of
atmospheric focus in closing track “Usnuo – Savrsen – Sam”), they bring a
respectable earnestness to the howls and yells.

Amy McBryde & The Active Ingredient – Big Talk [2017; self-released]

On the debut album from this two-piece band, the duo meshes alternative verve with country rock instrumentation, while Amy McBryde’s fast-moving vocals fire off reflections and accusations with equal commitment. Whether brashly plugging along (as is the case with most of the songs) or slowing down to more introspective pacing (e.g., “Christmas in Dogtown”), the guitars support the lyrical moods quite well, and McBryde’s vocal work complements the strains and bridges with emotional aplomb. Firm self-support in the face of adversity crops up in the verses of nearly every song, making the few points of open vulnerability stand out all the more sharply, and despite the narrow variety to the guitar licks, the album succeeds in at least feeling as though it’s delivering a larger experience, thanks to the strength of personality on display.

Black Mirrors – Funky Queen [2017; Napalm Records]

Over the four tracks of this EP, Black Mirrors turn out some bluesy hard rock, with the female vocals being the main thing distinguishing them from the hundreds of similar-sounding contemporaries. The guitar riffs seem to struggle under their own weight, outside of the ~2-minute cover of the MC5′s “Kick out the Jams” (though BM drops the ‘s’), which easily stands as the EP’s best track, and the drums end up stealing the spot-light most of the time. As a first release, it would be impressive, but coming three years after their debut EP, it’s hard to think of it as more than just solid, with a few dull points that don’t quite bring it down any lower.

Fleurety – Fragmenta Cuinsvis Aetatis Contemporaneae [2017; Aesthetic Death Records]

On the A-side of this single, “Consensus”, Fleurety play black metal at odds with the standards of the style, down-mixing the drums to background hammering laced with atonal piping, while sparse guitar-work leads, until an electronic surges pushes things into cleaner mixing and more doomy pacing. The band wanders through a series of alterations from there, keeping up an undercurrent of droning dread as one of the few persistent qualities.

The B-side, “Carnal Nations” takes a more traditional approach to its shaping, following a drifting keyboard melody through moderately-paced percussion and aching guitar accompaniment. Despite the downcast moodiness, the band gives it a subtly sharp edge, and while it’s not the technical demonstration of the first track, it does a fine job of showing the band’s skill at managing gradual emotional shifts. A nice pair, with more depth than the cover art would suggest.