Intelligence without pretentiousness, focus, and sledgehammer sincerity. Those three qualities defined Saint Vitus when they first adopted the name in 1980 and still does through three different singers, over ten releases, and a thirty years plus long journey along the margins of mainstream music. Their influence, however, is far from marginal and extensively documented. Their […]

Iron Void are true believers. This English three piece never records anything that lacks a definable frame of reference or unquestionable sincerity. Strains of Sabbath, Saint Vitus, Pentagram and more percolate through their music like a second heartbeat, but the band never lapses into crass, outright imitation. Their passion infuses every song with a strongly […]

I learned a long time ago that taking labels like “occult heavy metal” seriously missed the point. Except for the hood and robe crowd putting the music second to their image and dogma, countless bands have enjoyed great success embracing the supernatural imagery so often associated with metal without ever taking themselves too seriously. A […]

Creative center, guitarist and vocalist of veteran US stoner/doom act Starchild, Richard Bennett, scores a rousing success with his latest project, Stars That Move. Their self-titled debut from Stone Groove Records finds Bennett relinquishing the lead vocal duties to his wife Elisa Maria and adopting a trio format with her and Frank Sikes. It’s an […]

Steve Von Till, a key member of seminal sludge and “post-metal” legends Neurosis, has pursued a fruitful solo career in recent years and released a handful of stark blues and country influenced albums. Blues and country influence, in this context, certainly doesn’t refer to wang dang doodle or how he stopped loving her today. The […]