Checking online, Officium Triste came into being back in 1994 and have consistently released music in one shape or another since then. Citing bands such as My Dying Bride, Anathema and Paradise Lost, gives you an indication of the sound and style they are going for.
However, fair reader, I don’t have that much experience with those bands as this style was not my cup of tea back then, and it has been a gradual exposure to it since I’ve been writing for this site.
Behind Closed Doors, starts with a delicious keyboard arrangement that smacks of classics such as Phantasm, as the guitar and some of the deepest growls come in you are grabbed immediately. They patiently build with a descending pattern that is offset with a melodic line that just fits. It is not flashy it is just effective.
Behind Closed Doors, starts with a delicious keyboard arrangement that smacks of classics such as Phantasm, as the guitar and some of the deepest growls come in you are grabbed immediately. They patiently build with a descending pattern that is offset with a melodic line that just fits. It is not flashy it is just effective.
Pim Blankenstein’s vocals are something else, absolutely prime example of what a death vocal should sound like. My Poison Garden, If you imagine that having found their range on Behind, they take those ideas and twist them around, the chords that they pick are just mint in conveying a dark emotion. Each part is measured so that it naturally follows on. It's heavy too, don’t worry about that and as it wraps, it does so on another quality guitar line.
Anna’s Woe, Well you can kind of guess how this is going to go, and you would be right. It is melancholic, the interplay between the repeating keys and the guitar as the drums carry out an aerial assault and keep the song moving. Just based on Anna’s Woe, it is apparent why they are held in such high regard.
Anna’s Woe, Well you can kind of guess how this is going to go, and you would be right. It is melancholic, the interplay between the repeating keys and the guitar as the drums carry out an aerial assault and keep the song moving. Just based on Anna’s Woe, it is apparent why they are held in such high regard.
The closing lead break is spot on, opting for emotive play rather than squeezing a million notes in. It is a song and half, absolutely fantastic stuff and leads us into one of the high points, Walk In Shadows, with its slow beat and expansive keys, that death growl once again is just phenomenal. They manage to build such an all-encompassing atmosphere with consummate ease. The spoken word piece that comes in, that’s done tastefully without affecting the song in any negative way.
The way they have managed to write two songs of a similar length that are both bangers is just incredible. They make them seem shorter than they are, which for me is the mark of great song writing. Forcefield is heavy from the off, there is a fabulous Black Sabbath pedalling riff, think Children Of The Grave before it bursts forward with a strident build, dropping a lead break in, before they pull the handbrake and slow down, ready to close out with a Sci-fi section that has that triumphant measure to it.
The way they have managed to write two songs of a similar length that are both bangers is just incredible. They make them seem shorter than they are, which for me is the mark of great song writing. Forcefield is heavy from the off, there is a fabulous Black Sabbath pedalling riff, think Children Of The Grave before it bursts forward with a strident build, dropping a lead break in, before they pull the handbrake and slow down, ready to close out with a Sci-fi section that has that triumphant measure to it.
The final minute is them bringing the curtain down, with some note-perfect drumming and then it’s the final track, Angels With Broken Wings. Strings starts this final journey off as they add layers to the sound, expanding it as the guitar and voice comes in, combining to deliver a majestic and haunting song which is probably one of the best closing songs you will hear.
This gentle arrangement suddenly changes gear, possibly aware that they couldn’t sustain a 10-minute track without a touch of the heavy. As quickly as it comes, they push back and refresh the opening moments, revising to add a darker edge to it. The arrangement used for the strings is excellent, and once they add the guitar to it, it becomes a completely different beast. It is an exceptional piece of music, and it is fitting that they left this for last.
This gentle arrangement suddenly changes gear, possibly aware that they couldn’t sustain a 10-minute track without a touch of the heavy. As quickly as it comes, they push back and refresh the opening moments, revising to add a darker edge to it. The arrangement used for the strings is excellent, and once they add the guitar to it, it becomes a completely different beast. It is an exceptional piece of music, and it is fitting that they left this for last.
It is the highpoint of highpoints for this album, and I know that I have limited experience of this genre, but what I do know is that right now, this is one of the albums of the year. 9/10
Curse The Son - Delirium (Ripple Music) [Rich Piva]
I was lucky enough to interview Ron Vanacore for my podcast (cheap plug for the Rich & Turbo Heavy Half Hour, listen where you get your favorite podcasts!!!) (I'll let it go this once - Ed) and the main man of the Connecticut band Curse The Son gave me insight to a band that I already love that made me love them even more. Not just because the new record, Delirium, is amazing and probably their best, but because of how thought out the band has been over their 15-year career.
The themes, the lyrics, the album covers, the overall experience, there Is nothing not planned out about Curse The Son, and that kind of attention to detail and to your craft is something to be seriously commended, especially when you are able to build a band that listeners can pick out as the Curse The Son sound. For me as a listener that loose storyline arc or at least continuous vibe across all of the material continues on Delirium, cementing the band as one of the best heavy stoner doom bands around and one of this reviewer’s overall favourites.
Why do I love Delirium so much? As I mentioned, it sounds likes CTS, which right off the bat is a winner. Ron’s trademark voice and guitar tone is there in all of its glory across the nine tracks that all just kill. Ron’s songwriting has stepped up too, keeping the dark vibes ever present but deepening his lyrical content even more.
All you need to do is check out the one-two punch of the opening tracks, This Suffering Is Ours and Deliberate Cruelty (The Extermination Song) to know what I mean. I love all the tempo changes and different riffs you get on both of these tracks. The guitar work is killer too, especially on Deliberate Cruelty. Ron has no qualms about wearing his influences on his sleeve, so it makes perfect sense for the lesser known Witchfinder General track, R.I.P., to standout on Delirium, both as the first single and placed prominently in the running order.
CTS’s take is amazing, making it their own while honouring on of their favourite and most influenced by bands. The perfectly named instrumental Riff Forest is just that; riffs as far as the ear can here, with that trademarked tone, constantly crushing you for just under six minutes. If a riff blasts in the forest, you most certainly can hear it.
Curse The Son - Delirium (Ripple Music) [Rich Piva]
I was lucky enough to interview Ron Vanacore for my podcast (cheap plug for the Rich & Turbo Heavy Half Hour, listen where you get your favorite podcasts!!!) (I'll let it go this once - Ed) and the main man of the Connecticut band Curse The Son gave me insight to a band that I already love that made me love them even more. Not just because the new record, Delirium, is amazing and probably their best, but because of how thought out the band has been over their 15-year career.
The themes, the lyrics, the album covers, the overall experience, there Is nothing not planned out about Curse The Son, and that kind of attention to detail and to your craft is something to be seriously commended, especially when you are able to build a band that listeners can pick out as the Curse The Son sound. For me as a listener that loose storyline arc or at least continuous vibe across all of the material continues on Delirium, cementing the band as one of the best heavy stoner doom bands around and one of this reviewer’s overall favourites.
Why do I love Delirium so much? As I mentioned, it sounds likes CTS, which right off the bat is a winner. Ron’s trademark voice and guitar tone is there in all of its glory across the nine tracks that all just kill. Ron’s songwriting has stepped up too, keeping the dark vibes ever present but deepening his lyrical content even more.
All you need to do is check out the one-two punch of the opening tracks, This Suffering Is Ours and Deliberate Cruelty (The Extermination Song) to know what I mean. I love all the tempo changes and different riffs you get on both of these tracks. The guitar work is killer too, especially on Deliberate Cruelty. Ron has no qualms about wearing his influences on his sleeve, so it makes perfect sense for the lesser known Witchfinder General track, R.I.P., to standout on Delirium, both as the first single and placed prominently in the running order.
CTS’s take is amazing, making it their own while honouring on of their favourite and most influenced by bands. The perfectly named instrumental Riff Forest is just that; riffs as far as the ear can here, with that trademarked tone, constantly crushing you for just under six minutes. If a riff blasts in the forest, you most certainly can hear it.
Speaking of riffs, In Dismal Space continues with another killer one until we decent into the doomiest and most plodding track on Delirium, with Ron’s vocal performance on this one maybe his best ever. What a song. The hazy psych instrumental interlude Brain Paint leads into the title track that flat out rules. The riff, the vocals, the lyrics, the tempo changes, this is one of my all-time favourite CTS songs. The closer is no slouch either, as Liste Of The Dead is low end doom here to rattle the windows.
Curse The Son has a plan, and has executed that plan perfectly across the last 15 years and five records, with Delirium being the pinnacle. This record is amazing, and knowing now that Ron has had his son join the band as the new drummer (he did not play on the record) makes this experience even more glorious. It seems strange calling something so dark glorious, but this is what it is; a perfectly dark and wonderful record that should be experience by all who love heavy and dark music. 10/10
Solitary - Embrace The Darkness (Twisted Into Form) [Mark Young]
And now, a touch of UK thrash metal.
As we know, life is a constant cycle, a churn if you will of what is new and exciting before it becomes stale and old. This is especially true of thrash metal and for some you will never get better than the golden years of 83 to 90 (that is my definition of the golden period, other’s may vary). This is the period where the classics were released, the big 4 established themselves as well as others such as Exodus, Testament and Sacred Reich set and refined the blueprint for what Thrash should sound like.
So, having lived through that first phase sometimes anything that comes after feels a little pale. Even some of the bands that are still doing it can have moments of brilliance but run out of steam. But it’s not all doom. There are some bands out there for whom the love of thrash never waned. Bands like Inhuman Nature, Duskwalker, and now Solitary, who have been flying the flag for UK thrash since 1994 and are now entering their third decade and have just decided to drop a corker.
Once the spoken word intro wraps, we are straight into it, Embrace The Darkness writing the mission statement for the songs that follow. It’s got that blend of riffs, chunk and double bass which is essential. Its furious and given that this represents their 3rd decade it feels as fresh as a band who is just starting out on their musical journey.
Curse The Son has a plan, and has executed that plan perfectly across the last 15 years and five records, with Delirium being the pinnacle. This record is amazing, and knowing now that Ron has had his son join the band as the new drummer (he did not play on the record) makes this experience even more glorious. It seems strange calling something so dark glorious, but this is what it is; a perfectly dark and wonderful record that should be experience by all who love heavy and dark music. 10/10
Solitary - Embrace The Darkness (Twisted Into Form) [Mark Young]
And now, a touch of UK thrash metal.
As we know, life is a constant cycle, a churn if you will of what is new and exciting before it becomes stale and old. This is especially true of thrash metal and for some you will never get better than the golden years of 83 to 90 (that is my definition of the golden period, other’s may vary). This is the period where the classics were released, the big 4 established themselves as well as others such as Exodus, Testament and Sacred Reich set and refined the blueprint for what Thrash should sound like.
So, having lived through that first phase sometimes anything that comes after feels a little pale. Even some of the bands that are still doing it can have moments of brilliance but run out of steam. But it’s not all doom. There are some bands out there for whom the love of thrash never waned. Bands like Inhuman Nature, Duskwalker, and now Solitary, who have been flying the flag for UK thrash since 1994 and are now entering their third decade and have just decided to drop a corker.
Once the spoken word intro wraps, we are straight into it, Embrace The Darkness writing the mission statement for the songs that follow. It’s got that blend of riffs, chunk and double bass which is essential. Its furious and given that this represents their 3rd decade it feels as fresh as a band who is just starting out on their musical journey.
There is a zip to it, especially on the frantic Settle Scores The Old Way, its full on and in your face possessing a classic arrangement that could have come straight from the golden era with a delivery to match. It is a love letter to classics, and Solitary have zeroed in on what makes it essential. Bury It Now screams in, 3 and half minutes of pure downpicking goodness including a lead break that can melt faces at 20 yards.
They also know when to dial that speed back, delivering a gut-stomper with Beneath The Surface that shows that they just don’t rely on playing fast, they are equally as comfortable in writing the slower tracks that still capture the essence correctly. Remember earlier I mentioned about energy? There is no let-up in the attack here as they blast through song after song.
They also know when to dial that speed back, delivering a gut-stomper with Beneath The Surface that shows that they just don’t rely on playing fast, they are equally as comfortable in writing the slower tracks that still capture the essence correctly. Remember earlier I mentioned about energy? There is no let-up in the attack here as they blast through song after song.
From the incendiary The Disappeared to the absolutely furious Divided And Demented (vinyl only bonus) that possesses that forward stomp and the pre-requisite face melter to the final pairing of Filtering Hindsight and Beat The Bastards (CD only bonus) which only cement this as being a valuable addition to UK thrash. Of the former, it has that classic thrash swing to it which carries it forward whilst the latter has more of a punk vibe to it and acts as a suitable closing track here.
Embrace The Darkness has a lot to offer within its 36-minute run time. It captures the spirit of classic thrash metal and doesn’t let up from start to finish. It has razor-sharp riffs in every song, and top-class drumming that manages to combine speed with keeping the band on point. There are no ballads, orchestral interludes or any wasted moments. Its full bore from start to end and I might as well say that if you are not a fan of thrash then you should look elsewhere.
Embrace The Darkness has a lot to offer within its 36-minute run time. It captures the spirit of classic thrash metal and doesn’t let up from start to finish. It has razor-sharp riffs in every song, and top-class drumming that manages to combine speed with keeping the band on point. There are no ballads, orchestral interludes or any wasted moments. Its full bore from start to end and I might as well say that if you are not a fan of thrash then you should look elsewhere.
It doesn’t break any new ground but does provide you with 30 odd minutes of visceral and thrilling music, which is what you want from a thrash metal release. 8/10
Castle - Evil Remains (Hammerheart Records) [Rich Piva]
As we hit September and head into fall, what’s better than a Pumpkin Spice Latte? How about some spooky and evil proto stoner doom from Castle for the first time since 2018! The San Francisco, California band is back with a worldwide record deal with Hammerheart Records and their follow up to the awesome record Deal Thy Fate, Evil Remains.
Castle - Evil Remains (Hammerheart Records) [Rich Piva]
As we hit September and head into fall, what’s better than a Pumpkin Spice Latte? How about some spooky and evil proto stoner doom from Castle for the first time since 2018! The San Francisco, California band is back with a worldwide record deal with Hammerheart Records and their follow up to the awesome record Deal Thy Fate, Evil Remains.
I first heard of Castle via that last record as I obsessed over the Ripple Music back catalog a few years ago, but it has been a while and I thought the band was done, but alas, they are back and possibly better than ever on album number six (yes six!). Some reference points would be bands like Doctor Smoke, Sahg, Early Moods, Wytch, and Witchcryer, but the trio is not some generic proto band with female vocals.
Castle has and still does stand out, and Evil Remains does so even more, as this is their best sounding record with Elizabeth Blackwell’s vocals having never been recorded better. Her and her partner in crime Mat Davis are as tight as ever too, case in point the opener, Queen Of Death, with the killer riff and evil proto vibes combined with the layered male female vocals that just rule. I have been trying to find who Liz and Mat brought in as a drummer but could not find a name, but whoever is playing is doing a great job on these songs.
The next track, Nosferatu Nights, highlights the aforementioned vocals and killer guitar work and may be my favourite track on Evil Remains, especially all the cool tempo changes and that chugging guitar. When the pace slows and the band dooms it up, look out, like they do on Deja Voodoo, lead by Liz’s bass and killer vocals once again.
Castle has and still does stand out, and Evil Remains does so even more, as this is their best sounding record with Elizabeth Blackwell’s vocals having never been recorded better. Her and her partner in crime Mat Davis are as tight as ever too, case in point the opener, Queen Of Death, with the killer riff and evil proto vibes combined with the layered male female vocals that just rule. I have been trying to find who Liz and Mat brought in as a drummer but could not find a name, but whoever is playing is doing a great job on these songs.
The next track, Nosferatu Nights, highlights the aforementioned vocals and killer guitar work and may be my favourite track on Evil Remains, especially all the cool tempo changes and that chugging guitar. When the pace slows and the band dooms it up, look out, like they do on Deja Voodoo, lead by Liz’s bass and killer vocals once again.
The title track has my favourite riff and is where that Witchcryer and Wytch comparisons come across, but I feel like Castle brings it even heavier than those two great bands. Do I even hear a little bit of psych guitar work from Davis on this one? Nice. Black Spell is the real ripper of the bunch and their take on a modern version of some NWOBHM goodness. We get some vocals from, perhaps, Satan maybe, at about the 2:30 mark too.
Chunky proto doom is what it is all about as the album heads towards finish, with the very cool 100 Eyes that once again gives Davis his platform to show his killer guitar work and She (not a Kiss or Kitsa cover) that is Blackwell’s time to shine, and I especially love how the male vocals are woven into the song towards the end. The closer is killer too, the very evil Cold Grave.
Chunky proto doom is what it is all about as the album heads towards finish, with the very cool 100 Eyes that once again gives Davis his platform to show his killer guitar work and She (not a Kiss or Kitsa cover) that is Blackwell’s time to shine, and I especially love how the male vocals are woven into the song towards the end. The closer is killer too, the very evil Cold Grave.
I am not ready to say the eight tracks on Evil Remains is the best work Castle has ever done, but it is right up there with the rest of their great discography. This is the best sounding record of the bunch and the under 40-minute run time is a perfect listening experience. Castle is back, and let’s hope Evil Remains is their announcement that they are here to stay. 8/10
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