As usual, this latest offering by Switchblade is tough going. We're six minutes into what has to be classified as a pretty boring opening track ("Movement I"), before things kick off in earnest and -- luckily -- what does kick off is nothing short of psychedelic uneasiness, more down to the vocals than anything else. This album has some great moments; every song has some part that really, really kicks ass. The problem is that Switchblade take so damn long to get there every time that it comes across as boring in a lot of places. It's heavy; there's no denying that. But if we take it at face value, around half of it is "wow, killer" and half of it is "yeah, whatever." - John Norby
Bands with their own wine or beer is so passé, now it's time to move on to another beverage: coffee. And Switchblade is leading the way, as you can read here. The band's new coffee blend, concocted together with folks from Stockholm Roast, will come with a mug as part of a pre-order package for the band's upcoming LP.
Swedish instrumental/prog act Gösta Berlings Saga's excellent sophomore release "Detta har hänt" will be getting a much-welcome vinyl next month and the band will celebrate by hopping on Switchblade's record release show on September 20 at Hornstull Strand in Stockholm. Details here.
2 minutes isn't much to go on when it comes to Switchblade, but that's all you get in this teaser for their upcoming album. The album will be self-titled as always and will feature guest spots from Per Wiberg (ex-Opeth, Candlemass) on organ plus vocals from Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), David Johansson (Kongh) and The Cuckoo (Terra Tenebrosa). Official release is September 21 via (Sweden) and (everywhere else).
Swedish doom act Kongh has signed with for the release of their third album which they will be recording this summer with Karl Daniel Lidén (Dozer, Switchblade).
This down-tempo post-metal lark is really getting tired now. Mention of a new band in the genre always sparks a bit of interest in the hope that someone is going to bring something new and exciting to the table. That rarely happens, however, and the story is no different with Sweden's Oak. The four tracks on offer here are melodic, overdriven and ponderous with so little in the way of vocals that it could almost be classified as instrumental. Musically, it's well executed; creatively, it's not great at all. It's like Isis without the ingenuity, Switchblade without the dirt, and Red Sparowes without the atmosphere. In that respect, Oak find themselves well behind the times and, if they endeavour to make a mark in the scene, really need to rethink their strategy before releasing future material. - John Norby
When it comes to a matter (or lack) of speed there aren't that many bands capable of touching Switchblade. The Stockholm trio have taken the rules of drone/doom to the extreme in order to spew forth a barrage of sickening dread upon anyone who dares listen. Think of an ambient, guttural drone coupled with a tortured, black metalesque vocal and you get the idea of what this band are all about. Given the ultraslow nature of Switchblade, mention must be made of how tight the musicianship is on here. With vast chasms between beats, it's inspiring to hear everyone come in on cue every time, and that's not easy when the bpm borders on the negative. That said, with little in the way of variety on display, it can be a difficult and, at times, tedious listen if you're not in the right frame of mind. Released on drummer Tim Bertilsson's own label Trust No One, this fifth full-length recording might be more of the same from Switchblade, but it's sure to leave die-hard fans of the genre in awe. - John Norby
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU, a special pre-Halloween edition:
01. TALK 1
02. Switchblade - 1815
03. TALK 2
04. Abandon - In reality suffer
05. Raison d'Etre - Metamorphyses phase III
06. TALK 3
07. Notre Dame - Le theatre du vampire
08. Mercyful Fate - Desecration of souls
09. Cortex - Warrior night
10. TALK 4
11. Immortal - All shall fail
Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.
Swedish doom masters Switchblade have a new website and are streaming their forthcoming self-titled album, a monumental 49-minute piece split into three sections: http://www.switchblade.se/
Lots of great studio pics there too -- be sure to check the gallery.
Swedish trio Kongh step up the game on their new album "Shadows of the shapeless" by delivering a concise, punishing record. "Concise" is a stretch actually, but when you consider how many of their ilk go for the longer=better formula, any tracks < 15 minutes stand out. Only one band can hold chords and my attention for any longer and that's Khanate and they're long gone; broke the mold and took it with 'em too. Anyhow, music that despairing is almost too painful to revisit with any frequency, so I much prefer the far more straightforward pummel of Kongh. It's slow and heavy, it's got discernible head-banging riffs, it makes me happy in a way that only the most crushing doom can. We'll see if Trust No One label bosses Switchblade can top 'em whenever their new one drops, but for now this one stands alone.
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Oak
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