Blood Island Raiders (UK) –For The Sake Of Clarity A new brittish combo at least to me. They have been gigging around the UK for some time, supportslots mostly. For The Sake Of Clarity was made way back in April. Blood Island Raiders guitarist Reverend Al had previous to B.I.R a stint with Mourn who made a infamous demo Forevermore and a great album for Rise Above Records a number of years back. After have turned this 5 piece disc in and out over the past few weeks I am pretty pleased with the material. This is nothing like Mourn who played a great blend of heavyprogressive melodic Doom, this is more back to the basics, I find it to be a combination of Penance, Trouble and Danzig. A pretty varied concept, dark, moody and melancholic. Extraplus for Armageddon, a slow and haunting Doomster that is very effective and Master Plan, a great tune that have a pleasant groove and is more ripping. Recommended to all doomsters, heavyfans and those who are looking for something alternative. Info/Order www.bloodislandraiders.com

Father (UK) – Same Original bassplayer of Cathedral Mark Griffiths left the band after the Soul Sacrifice Ep years ago, he had enough after a few years stint but he is definitely the one of the exmembers that have left his mark, Scott Carlson (Repulsion) came in as stand-in until Leo Smee came along and filled his place. Griff as he calls himself have been around for over a decade doing this and that including changing instrument from bass to guitar. After Cathedral he took a break until he formed Year Zero that had an album out on Hellhound, Nihils Flame a great album check it out if you aint got it. A supportstint with Solstice to Count Raven around UK 1994, but the labelsupport wasnt there so Year Zero called it day a year or two after. Griff hooked up with Jeff Walker from Carcass to form Black Star, after his stint with them, he took a new break until he have settled down a new project Father. Here is the first effort. Father is a complete solo project, Griffy does everything, even vocals. Pretty diversed material I would say after a few spins, this is a new trip compare to his Cathedral days and his stint with Year Zero. Pretty moody and melancholic riffing, a more gothic impact, this aint heavy or doomrock its more melodic but it has a a bit of a industrial direction over it in some parts that is dragging it down a bit in my mind. 4 vocaltracks, one instrumental and the last one The Initiation Of Arkazum sound like it was on the score for the Poltergeist film, it has that vibe. A promising introduction to a project that I hope Griff will progress and keep. Fans of Cathedral and Year Zero, get this one and for fans of alternative sounds is Father a look out. Info/Order father@blueyonder.co.uk adress 13 Ebrington St. Liverpool L19 1QT, UK

Fear My Solitude (Swe)-Songs From The Via Dolorosa Motel (Musical Grieves) Mournful cries in days of sadness, that is a pretty good description of this duocombo that made 9 demos between 1992 up to 1997, quite productive, the funny thing was that Fear My Solitude never got any critical acclaim from any labels on their efforts, I have the demos and some of them are still pretty classic these days, very moody and melancholic even though its pretty lowbudget productions. Ola, the singer and Mikael Guitar/Bassplayer are nowdays in Outremer that got reviewed some sections back teamed up to re-create some selected faves in the spring of this year with guestdrummer Joacim Olofsson. Fear My Solitude had a pretty good underground following back in the 90s, they were one of the most ultimate mourners inspired by the early stuff of Cathedral, the early Stillborn stuff and gothic combos from the early 80s. The concept and the sound they had was all about misery,pain, death and destruction. It seemed like these guys by listening to them had an depressive outlook on life but I have met Mikael a few times and he is a cool guy with a black sense of humour. The cool thing with Songs From…is that it has a heaps better sounding, Olofsson adds that extra dimension that the songs needs and the performance compare to the demos is better. I dig most of the material except N.D.E and Never that drags it down a little, best ones are Looking For The Days Forever Lost and Crying For Yesterday those have a classical vibe, slow, vital and charming in my mind. Overall a great compilation of a combo whose sound was ahead of their time so this one should be a good intro to those mourners that didnt pick them up in the first place. Info/Order FMS439@MSN.COM

K.N.S.K/Sloth (Jap/US) – Split Single ( Shifty) Shifty Records have returned with some more sludgy stuff in form of a single with Jap groomers K.N.S.K and Ohio based sci-tech musos Sloth. After spending some time with the single I dont have too much to comment except I dont dig it. Kicking off with Sloth, if this is their concept after the tunes they have here I will certainly not be in their fanbase. I dont know what they will achieve with it, industrial mish mash of samples, same riffs that keeps coming back, no intention of even trying to create a melodic hookline. Overall it sounds like a meeting of Sick Of It All and Helmet in a dried out jamming section. Sloth is a combo I pass until I hear something better. K.N.S.K whose latest promo was reviewed in the last section is only a tiny bit better, their track Fate isnt what I call a ripping tune, some fluent riffing, some good moods but the quality and the emotional hooks arent there but at least are the Jap combo getting away with their concept cause they are trying and I give them credit for it, Sloth doesnt get any credits. Info/Order www.shiftyrecords.com K.N.S.K listen.to/knsk Sloth www.ubersloth.com

King Goblin (Jap) – Demo 03 First there was a Goblin, then came a Orange one and here is a King Goblin. The mainfactor is that this Tokyobased combo are pretty far from those in a musical standpoint. A 3 tracker this one featuring a cover version of Mississippi Queen (Mountain) that King Goblin have called Black Mountain (Birmingham Queen). Focusing on the originals Devils Formula and Red Rum, the first one is owing a pretty good deal to later Entombed, its not bad at all actually, it got a pretty good groove but it doesnt got that nerve to reach me. Red Rum is the longest 8 + minutes a pretty spooky number with hymns and howls that is sounding pretty hysterical but overall its pretty basic and standardsounding. Their cover is actually the most pleasant to hear, but Sons Of Otis have made a far better version in recent years. What King Goblin needs is to shape up their sound, bring in more dynamics and get a better groove. King Goblin have previous to this one made a disc in 2000 on their own label that is out of print. King Goblins latest effort is however a decent piece of work. Info/Order www1.ttcn.ne.jp/~king-goblin mail king_goblin666@yahoo.co.jp

Pilotos (Swe) – Powers Of Evil A new name to the Swedish scene at least to me. Pilotos formed in the fall of 1999 have made 2 demos previous this one introduce themselves with their latest 8 track recording that have pretty much a varied concept, the first 6 pieces are pleasant to listen to while the last two is dragging behind, a basic retroriffer in Another Hug and a laidback jam in Rescatar, those are a bit too polished for me. What makes an impression with Powers Of Evil are the intensity and emotions that are in here, a good mix. Slow doomy stuff to uptempo down and dirty Motörhead riffs along with late 60s/early 70s scales. Extraplus to the moving titletrack and the Hawkwind similar Green Queen, a tune that really turns me on, it has that early Hawk vibe Warrior On The Edge Of Time, Hall Of The Mountain grill etc. and the charming Set Fire On This. A fine disc with a interesting concept. Skip the last two and you are in for a nice treat. Should please heavyrockers and those who are looking for something new and alternatives. Info/Order www.riffrock.com/pilotos mail pilotos666@hotmail.com

Reverend Bizarre (Fin) – Harbinger Of Metal (Spikefarm) The distance from Slice Of Doom their demo masterpiece from 1999 to this Ep release 2003 is long, in between they have made an album In The Rectory Of Bizzare Reverend, made a few features to comps, made a german tour with Revelation and Mirror Of Deception, played at the Doom Shall Rise fest, made several shows back home in Finland, signed a deal with Spikefarm, a underlabel to Spinefarm. Personally I havent heard anything since Slice Of Doom until this Ep came along. Still I consider Slice Of Doom as one of the greatest Demos I have ever heard in recent years, it nearly made me threw my other demos out of the window. I have had the most listening pleasure with Harbinger Of Metal in the past few weeks, its been on almost instant repeat. I have nothing else to compare beside Slice Of Doom but this is a lot darker and it has a much more progressive concept. The Reverends are covering new ground here, its still outrageously devestating and mournful old school Doom Metal. The track that differs from the rest are From The Void with growl vocals and a far too long drumbreak in the midsection, that is the only minor problem I have with Harbringer Of Metal. It's a good tune slow and haunting but it doesnt cheer me up completely. Extraplus for Strange Horizon and the brilliant The Wandering Jew, that is the ultimate mourner here. Reverend Bizarre have made a excellent Ep with a intensity and passion. Every dedicated Doomster should have a copy of this one and it's a perfect release for those who are looking for something new and alternative. Info/Order www.spinefarm.fi/metal Reverend Bizarre www.reverend.shows.it mail reverendbizarre@hotmail.com

Semlah (Swe) – Suffering In Silence The Swedish Doom merchants have returned with a new disc, a Ep that is a natural follower to their first disc Ruin that got a pretty good load of critical acclaim and a stint at Doom Shall Rise last year. Semlah got their name out with Ruin and that got a pretty stable following. With Suffering In Silence it is time to bring their mission forward to more livesupport and a recording deal. I said A natural follower, yes it is but this time have Semlah a more darker concept and a more established progressive sound, the production is more tight and the material is more varied. Its still heavy, still doomy and still epic sounding. One of the tunes The Downward Spiral is the continued part of the same track that were on Ruin. Suffering In Silence took a lot longer than expected to make compare to the recordings of Ruin, some various delays including the production and the final mix. I am pleased with the package, it's a very pleasant and enjoyable outcome. Tight, dynamic and very charming heavy progressive Doom Metal. A must for all mourners, fans of heavystuff and those who are looking for a alternative. Much recommended. Info/Order www.semlah.com mail wilbur.pop@chello.se

Vantage Point (UK) – Perfect World Scottish combo this one with one selfissued album behind them titled Road To Nowhere. Vantage Point are coming out with a new album Perfect World and this two piece disc is a introduction to that one. Vantage Point is a fairly young act, the guitarist Patrick Mitchell are 16 for instance, never too young for rock and roll. After a few stints with this one I aint that impressed with the material, the first number the title track is way too much bay area trash not really my bag, I have heard better combos in that vein, the next one Kane is a little bit better and a little more varied with pretty good NWOBHM riffing and some nice humouristic vibes, but thats about it. I dont know how the album will sound, but judging from this one I expect it to be a lot better and more varied. Easy come, easy go is a good description of this 2 piece disc. Info/Order www.vantage-point.info mail admin@vintage-point.info

Witchcraft (Swe) – No Angel Or Demon/You Bury Your Head (Primitive Art) This rare single have been out for quite some time already, released last year as a matter of fact. The single have got a great feedback so far since it came out and Witchcraft have already landed a deal with Rise Above Records as the second Swedish combo after Grand Magus, congratulations. Witchcraft have shared the stagefloor with Big Elf, Electric Wizard and Grand Magus to name some of the acts. Witchcraft was originally a project by former genius Norrsken guitarist Magnus Pelander, he wanted to give tributes to his his idols Bobby Liebling of Pentagram and the infamous Roky Erikson, he brought in a few mates and made this single. Swedish cult label Primitive Art made a release of it, Witchcraft went from a project to a band. I have had this single for quite some time and after have played it back to back a number of times, I am very pleased with the material. No Angel Or Demon is charming piece, classy melodic and moody while the b-side You Bury Your Head are more doomy and more back to the basics. Witchcraft have got that natural 70s feel, much the way Pelanders former band Norrsken had. A charming single with a essential impact, a must for 70s collectors and for everyone else. Cant wait for the Rise Above debut. Info/Order www.primitiveartrecords.com Witchcraft www.witchcrafthome.com mail john_hoyles@hotmail.com c/o Hoyles Masthuggsterrassen 10 413 18 Goteborg Sweden.

By Gabriel Lilliehook