Hydra Head uncovered the next great doom band.

[Nate The Great]

This thread probably only pertains to J. and BSW, but others might actually listen to what I have to say.

Old Man Gloom - Christmas
*A damn amazing piece of work. We've talked enough about this band. Just know that Christmas is easily one of the year's best (if not THE best).

Mare - s/t
*Thanks one helluva a lot to BSW for telling me about these guys. Anybody that orders the new OMG from Hydra Head should get this EP with it as well. This could possibly be the best release of the year, if it were a full length. I'll try to get a review of this up sometime soon, but here's a breif description.

Mare is basically bleak, dark, blackened doom (similar to Esoteric), but they add completely unexpected and amazing chroral-vocal harmonies. Like Ulver did on Bergtatt. Basically imagine a faster version of Esoteric combined with Ulver 'Bergtatt' and you're close to what Mare is doing. Absolutely awesome stuff. I couldn't believe what I just heard after the first spin. The mp3 at their site doesn't do the 25 minute EP justice, but it should at least give you and idea. www.mare.ca

2004 is looking to be the best year in metal in a long, long time. I'm thinking about boycotting any Best of 2004 lists, just because there is way too much for that list this year. And we still have Converge and Isis to come . . .

 

[Erik]

Huh. That might actually interest me.

 

[J.]

I don't understand the new OMG yet. Mare sounds awesome.

 

[Erik]

What the fuck is up with the flashy website though

 

[Krilons Resa]

Both excellent bands. If Mare keeps it up, they are going to be AMAZING in the future...not that they aalready aren't hehe.

 

[Erik]

Is this doom? I'm unconvinced. As I suspected, sounds quite fucking *core-ish to me.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Erik, I suggest you check out Mar De Grises - The Tatterdemalion Express.

 

[Erik]

If you say so

 

[Krilons Resa]

Their on Firebox Records if that makes you feel better. It should.

 

[Erik]

I'm quite intrigued by the samples...

 

[Black Winter Day]

Is this doom? I'm unconvinced. As I suspected, sounds quite fucking *core-ish to me.

 

[Erik]

Is that a "HA HA YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING" laugh?

 

[Krilons Resa]

I'm quite intrigued by the samples...

Mar De Grises ARE the next big thing in the doom world. They're from Chile and are amazing. The Tatterdemalion Express is their debut full-length and is probably my pick for the top spot of 2004 aside from Autumn Aurora.

Want a CD-r?

 

[Erik]

I can probably download it, so you don't have to go through the hassle... Thanks anyway though, I WILL be sure to check them out, together with Forsaken from Malta whom BWD made me want to hear.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Good deal.

 

[Nate The Great]

The mp3 at the Mare site does make them sound core-ish, but I'm sort of immune to all things core-ish, I guess. I would still advise everybody that isn't afraid of a tiny bit of core in their doom to check them out. They are actually more grind-ish than core-ish. When they go from a blood boiling, screaming, grinding section to a melodic choral thing, it makes me weep like a stuck pig.

 

[NAD]

Mare was okay, the sample I heard anyhow. Mar de Grises are pretty fucking awesome though, I'll pick that up before the year is out.

 

[Nate The Great]

I don't want to say this again! The mp3 at the Mare site DOES NOT even come close to representing this band. Jeez . . .

Oh . . . J., that new OMG is fuckin' awesome. I really think OMG is approaching the level of genius only found in bands like Neurosis. Did you read the OMG booklet? Those guys are whacky. The whole concept behind the band is sort of the same thing Tool is so good at. Tongue-in-cheek humor and serious-as-a-heartbeat music. In fact I'll probably elaborate on that in my review.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Mare have a tad of a -core element but they also have doom, black, grind, etc mixed up in the stew. -Core being the least of them. You cannot pinpoint them whatsoever. It's just terrific, original, extreme music.

 

[Erik]

The mp3 at the Mare site does make them sound core-ish, but I'm sort of immune to all things core-ish, I guess. I would still advise everybody that isn't afraid of a tiny bit of core in their doom to check them out. They are actually more grind-ish than core-ish. When they go from a blood boiling, screaming, grinding section to a melodic choral thing, it makes me weep like a stuck pig.

The full name of "grind" is "grindcore" -- "grindcore" ends with "core", happy to help