for whom the bell dooms: Grime (Italy): "Deteriorate"; I Klatus (U.S.): "Kether"; Lycus (U.S.): "Tempest"; Crown (France): "Psychurgy"

Grime (Italy): "Deteriorate"

Years ago, one fine morning, after waking up, one of these fellows had breakfast and an idea occurred to him. In metal, too many people play fast, but what happens if you slow down to the maximum degree?

The result?

A vocalist that shrieks (in a black metal-ish way) but slowly chews every sound and extends the shrieking-screaming so that it goes on and on, like a series of looooooooonnngg shrieks (sort of, the longer syllables of singing being replaced by shriek-screaming). To go along with that, the music goes at a snail's pace 99.9999999% of the time, in a spiral-circular motion of monotony-monolith-repetition. Once in a while, there is a very brief drum roll, and it will make you raise your unibrow and then it's back to slowwwwwwwwww drumming.

This is like watching a movie in slow motion, on the slowest setting on the remote control. Ok, well, Grime has that idea for their music.

It is a massive stoner-sludge-drone guitar tone, that is as charming as it is a low-tuned-down wall of slow-buzz.

Now, I know that in the competition for "slowest,heaviest" band on the planet there are lots of contenders. Tonight, I wish not to argue that point because I don't care, really, for that silly argument. It is enough to say that Grime is ridiculously slow and heavy. I'll leave it at that.

The important thing is this, in my view: they sound excited, energized to be playing this and they do not sound tired or bored. Despite the slowness, the energy gets across very well, and the monolith of buzz makes sense, and that's an accomplishment for them, and for me, because I feel like I understand this Grime sound. Yay, for me! I get it! Fans of funeral/drone/sludge might, too!!

www.facebook.com/pages/Grime/209557405747608

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I Klatus (U.S.): "Kether"

I Klatus is part doom/sludge, but there are a couple of other major features that should be mentioned.

1. They do long segments of ambient/mellow sounds which contrast in a huge way from the heavy music. A bit of melody sneaks in that way, and the music can sound spacey. Or/and, they do some bursts of blasting speed, which can clash with the atmosphere of the previous parts, confusing the listener on purpose a bit, maybe. There are also other miss-mash bits all over the place and it can give the impression of wild, weird compositions.

2.The vocals are punk-shouted (not growl, per se), kind of yelled out, and sound a bit random, sort of like "some guy yelling down the street" in the neighborhood. People might say, "What's wrong with him?!" And the response is: "Nothing! That's the way he is. He lives around here and just yells like a crazy person at certain times of the day."

3.These are not so much actual songs as they are exercises in experimentation. People recording music, heavy, doom-ish music and then adding other things in there and just seeing what happens, and let the chips fall where they may.

Recommended only for the most adventurous of listeners.

www.iklatus.com

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Lycus (U.S.): "Tempest"

Lycus is "funeral doom" in the proper and traditional sense of the word. So, NOT sludge, not drone, not shoe/blackgaze. Funeral doom.

They have 2 songs about 10 minutes long (or so) and 1 song that is over 20 minutes long. Basically, you gotta have faith, and hope, and patience that these songs will work out in your mind when you listen to this. I mean, 20 minutes, hey, if can't commit, then you should quit. You're right, this is not about "headbanging" or "rocking" or anything like that.

They have parts of these songs where it's just sleep music. Is the drummer going to wake up? When is he going to hit the drum again? It's been minutes since we last heard from him. What did he do during the recording of this music? Did he hit the drum one time and then drove back home, made himself a sandwich, took a nap, ate another sandwich, drove back to the studio, and sat back on the drum stool and finally picked up the drumstick (only needs one; two would be "too happy") and hit the drum again?!

And wouldn't you know it?! Like champs, Lycus is so good at what they do. They are one high-class funeral doom band. Elegant in their heaviness. The vocalist growls, but he doesn't sound like a chump. He sounds like a friendly cave monster that is misunderstood by everyone. He is ugly. Actually, he is fugly, an eyesore, but that monster growls with such beauty that you begin to comprehend that the monster is just playing music, trying to make you happy by playing slow, melancholic sounds.

If you have the patience, I think that you will discover the atmosphere of Lycus and will appreciate it. They a few small surprises, too, in their songs. But you should hear for yourself. They are good surprises.

Funeral doom fans, here is a band after your own hearts! You will love Lycus and Lycus will bring you sweet misery in return.

www.facebook.com/pages/Lycus/156095311142662

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Crown (France): "Psychurgy"

OK, so, I will try to make this one easy on you.

How do you feel about drum programming/drum machines? Do you care or not? Is it a hard principle or does it depend on the band/music?

Crown is, to my ears, more than anything, perhaps closest to a doom-ish band, BUT:

The drum machine gives the music an electronica/industrial feel. That's one thing.

Another thing is: they do things like "robotic voices," and just generally experiment with different sounds in the electronica/industrial/robotized/computerized-music//whatever field.

The guitars are heavy and the vocals are growled, in the funeral death doom style, but they do other things that go beyond that, obviously.

After telling you about all these doom bands, I think you get the picture about Crown and doom. I hope. Crown is a well thought-out musical enterprise and has a strong identity.

Whether doom fans will be also be exploring the sounds of Crown, that's another matter. It depends on how willing the listener is. Crown has put out a commendable effort.

It is your turn now.

www.facebook.com/CROWNBAND