Wrestling For Brainanas...

Groover von Kruger - The Scientist and the Monkey (2018)

With seven years between their debut release and this follow-up, it's not too bold to assume that most of you readers are unfamiliar with the Australian group of Groover von Kruger. It's also not much of a stretch to assume that our regulars are happy to check out new stuff, though, so I feel pretty well-assured that the band's hard and funky rock blend will be well-received.

Kicking off with the lively “Dynamite”, the band quickly establishes their flexibility and riff control, before moving into the dirty groover of “Pussy and Pancakes”, which slows things down for a saucy swing through a Spinal Tap-ish push over the top, while the tones go hard bluesy before jumping into retro shredding for a spell.

The title track picks up from there with a bouncier wailer bringing the bass to the fore, playing with dancy beats and high-tension guitar to build an atmosphere which gets neatly overturned by the following song, “Magic Beans”, which takes a lounge-band vibe and undermines it with tongue stuffed nearly through the cheek wall, letting an instrumental groove roll slowly along, with pit stops for announcements in Italian. Lastly, “Already Gone” pulls some of that atmosphere along by way of its casual piano, but spruces it up with funky licks and proggy twists, drawing it out into a fine finish.

There's a surprising amount to digest in these five tracks, and hopefully it won't take the group quite so long to craft their follow-up. Check out the EP yourself, and let the band know you want more if it tickles your fancy.

~ Gabriel

For Fans Of; Frank Sabbath, The Heavy Co., Mondo Drag, Stone House On Fire, Stonerror

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Groover von Kruger - The Scientist and the Monkey (320 kbps)

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Gasping For Breath...

Flood Peak - Plagued by Sufferers (2018)

Hailing from Portland, Oregon, the three-piece of Flood Peak have been around since 2016, but this year marks their first official release, with the four tracks of Plagued by Sufferers showing off the band's mixture of styles. From doom-driven low-end on the bass riffs, through sludgy growling vocals, blackened guitar aggression, and deathly drum beatings, the group shows a well-rounded set of influences directed towards the unnerving side of metal.

That openness to style-blurring allows them a considerably large range of maneuverability, and they put the half-hour duration of their EP to work in showing their versatility in the high, low, and mid-range tempos, while shifting the flavor proportions of the music in ways that deftly avoid feeling unsuited to the songs' directions. There are also times when they jam them all together at once, and these may be the biggest stand-outs of the EP, because they make that gumbo work. Quite an impressive debut, and a band to keep an ear and an eye on as they continue building their discography.

~ Gabriel

For Fans Of; Jupiterian, Lesbian, The Sleer, Trees, Ufomammut

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Flood Peak - Mire (320 kbps)

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Doom In Any Tongue...

Vanhävd - Låt köttet dö (2018)

With this half-hour EP, the Swedish group of Vanhävd roll out three tracks of powerful doom metal, bringing an edge of deathly deftness to direct the heavy momentum in interesting ways. There's a funereal morbidity lingering over the affair, with the fully slow portions feeling properly monolithic, and when the tempo picks up into hammering anxiety, the merging of the two energy extremes is handled incredibly well for a band's first release. It's certainly experimental, but at the same time, the band keeps a firm grounding in tunefulness and logical flow, keeping their swerves from coming too sharp for the good of the song. As this is supposed to be a 'sampling' of what their first full-length will hold, things are sounding extremely promising for Vanhävd, and fans of creative heavy music would do well to tune in as early as they can.

~ Gabriel

For Fans Of; Battle Path, Earthling, Heavydeath, Mamaleek, White Darkness

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Vanhävd - Om den vulgära farsens nonsens

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Simple Machines...

Fred Vinters - Sound Machine (2018)

Making their debut with this four-song EP, the Swedish band of Fred Vinters (a quartet at live shows, but apparently just the band's name-sake in the studio for this) introduce themselves with some stripped-down bluesy hard rock. Electric guitar riffs and steady drum beats complement the earthy vocals, building a well-grounded base of clear-cut rock with few frills. Some boosts in amping, a layer of backing vocals, and an extra kick to the percussion in the chorus is about all the studio touch-up the basic tracks get, and it fits them well. There's a general downward slope of energy over the course of the EP, with the final song, “I Can't Stand the Sun”, consisting of just a bass groove, hand-drums, and singing. It'll be interesting to hear how this band develops, so go ahead and check them out if you're a fan of uncluttered rock.

~ Gabriel

For Fans Of; Deadboy & The Elephantmen, Grusom, Muddy Moonshine, The Stone Fox, The White Stripes

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Fred Vinters - Chocolate Jesus

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