Back to Bandcamp: December 5, 2015

Here's your weekly roundup of indie releases:

Blackhand - Death Takes Root
(http://blackhand.bandcamp.com/album/death-takes-root)

If you can't stand the recent fetish for meandering, lumbering, 12-minutes-a-song doom/stoner metal but you're down for unapologetic, occult-infused fantasy and huge hooks, Blackhand should be right up your alley. This Delaware band cranks out earth-shaking riffs and howled choruses on every track on Death Takes Root, combining stoner songwriting sensibilities with old-school doom imagery. From the aggressive sacrilege of "Bound by the Coven" to the supernatural warfare of "Army From the Void," Blackhand unite old-school heavy metal motifs with modern stoner rock head-bobbing for a listen that's both fearsome and fun.

Recommended.

Dead on Both Shoulders - Juggler
(http://deadonbothshoulders.bandcamp.com/album/juggler).

Juggler is a fascinating listen. Progressive metal sensibilities unite this experimental little collection, but little else does. "Neither, Both" and "Without (Everything Will Be Okay)" are hypnotic, jazzy instrumentals with melancholy guitar leads. The short "Juggler" evokes Tool with just a touch of Kid A-era Radiohead. And "ABCADEBCA," perhaps the closest thing to a traditional song, briefly throws in a dash of autotune on the bridge, presumably just to keep the listener guessing. It's quite a trip, and while Juggler never reaches the level of odd that sends headphones flying across the room, it's quirky enough to keep the listener's attention and entertaining enough to make up for its lack of cohesion.

Recommended.

Secrets of the Moon - SUN
(http://secrets-of-the-moon.bandcamp.com/album/sun)

To call Germany's Secrets of the Moon "black metal" frankly borders of the disingenuous. No self-respecting worshiper of Burzum, Mayhem and Darkthrone would write something that sounds as much like an outtake from Mechanical Animals-era Manson as "Dirty Black," or anything as hum-along as "Hole." Secrets of the Moon can brand themselves however they want, but they're about as grim and kvlt as Ghost at this point. Probably a little less, actually.

And that's not a problem: as highly-accessible, listen-with-your-girlfriend goth metal, SUN holds up. Secrets of the Moon still have an edge to them–vocalist Philipp Jonas' shouts are too rough to be radio friendly, and SUN has enough doomy riffs and aggression to interest fans of heavier stuff–but fundamentally, this record has more in common with recent releases from Katatonia or In Flames, and occasionally ventures into post-punk territory on tracks like "Here Lies the Sun." If even the name "In Flames" makes your blood boil, SUN probably isn't your thing. Otherwise, it just might hit the spot if you're craving a lighter heavy listen with a few doom and black metal touches.

Recommended.