#love the new thunder saga album of epic the musical

[volturilovers]

🪩✨sparkling✨🪩

and

✨shining bright like a Diamond✨ that only the skin of a killer can do

A day when the volturi is on a trip.

Aro: Caius have you seen Marcus? He told me he was going with you.

Caius: no I thought he was with you?

Aro:……

Caius:….

Aro: oh shit.

Meanwhile Chaos is happening in the volturi coven

Marcus sitting at the ens of a cliff thinking about his love

[vickyvicarious]

I think you would like Epic, the Odyssey concept album!

This has been recommended to me multiple times in the past, and it has interested me but I have always been in "I'll get to it later" mode. Which is why I've taken so long to respond to this message actually, I kept it around to remind me to actually get to it. But today I have! And yeah, it's definitely great. I listened to everything released on the playlist below while following along with the lyrics and some bonus trivia from here, and am now subscribed for the rest and... yeah, lots of excellent songs and I love the instrumental links to different characters and the characterization and music. This is great, when the whole thing is released I'd like to buy it. Thanks for prompting me to actually finally listen to it!

[esqipi]

I don't know where else to put this but I AM SO HAPPY AFTER WATCHING THE THUNDER SAGA!!! The fact that they played all the previous sagas before getting to the new one was A TOTAL GOOD CHOICE THE CYCLOPS SAGA WAS LITERALLY SO INCREDIBLE LIKE I COULD NOT LET GO OF MY CHAIR WHILE HEARING IT AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE CIRCE SAGA, I DIDN'T KNOW THE SONGS WERE SO FUCKING SPECTACULAR, LIKE- THE SONG OF HERMES GOT ME LITERALLY JUMPING FROM MY CHAIR TO START DANCING FROM HOW GOOD IT WAS???

and the Ocean Saga... GOOD LORD THE OCEAN SAGA. BESIDES HAVING ONE OF MY FAVORITE THEMES IN THE MUSICAL (Keep your friends close) IT HAS SOME OF THE HARDEST THEMES IN THE ALBUM... Or at least that's what I thought UNTIL I HEARD THE THUNDER SAGA I JUST CAN'T GET OVER HOW IN THE LIVE THERE WERE ANIMATICS IN SOME OF THE SONGS, THAT TRULY MADE THE WHOLE THING A LOT MORE ENJOYABLE AND LITERALLY THE ANIMATIC FOR THUNDER BRINGER MADE THE EVERYTHING GO SO ABSOLUTELY HARD, I CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS WITH WORDS HOW MUCH I LOVED IT, THE ARTIST THAT ANIMATED THE FINAL MOMENTS OF THE SONG REALLY COOKED WITH THIS ONE BECAUSE THAT SHIT WAS SO BADASSS, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!! Oh and the Underworld saga...

I CAN'T CONTAIN HOW MUCH JOY I'M FEELING RN AFTER HEARING AND WATCHING THE NEW THUNDER SAGA FROM EPIC THE MUSICAL THE FACT THAT SO MANY TALENTED ARTISTS WERE INVOLVED IN THE ANIMATICS AND THE VISUALS MAKES IT SO MUCH BETTER I LOVED THIS SHIT.

[thecryptidzenith]

Not sure if you have heard of/are in to EPIC: The Musical, but it’s basically the Odyssey but in musical form and there’s a song called Suffering that’s about the Sirens trying to trick Odysseus to jump in the water so they can kill him by looking and acting like his wife but they get things wrong from his memories bc he has earwax in. Anyways lol why I bring this up is when I listen to it I imagine a Midnight Oil scenario from like before Aelwyn gets out of prison that some like nightmare forest creature tries to tempt Riz disguised as her to like be lured into the shadows to be eaten but they unironically call Aelwyn his girlfriend and he’s like well. That’s an imposter- *shoots*

I am very familiar with EPIC: The Musical, whenever a new album drops I always chat about it with my lovely friend who's also a fan, I think it's a very well done musical. Even I thought the act break was after the Thunder Saga because that's when the time skip happens, which still makes more sense to me. And I don't like giving Athena character development in the Wisdom Saga from a conceptual standpoint, she's A God, the personification of an idea, she should not be able to change of her own volition. Say she saves Odysseus from Calypso because it's a waste of his talents for him to waste away on her island. But that's personal taste, her development is exceptionally well done and I understand why it's done like that, I just prefer it when gods feel like gods. The music goes so fucking hard and the arcs slap.

Wow, that was a digression, but yes, absolutely, 100%. Heteronormativity is one hell of a drug. This would probably work with a doppelganger too, in terms of determining which of the two Aelwyns were real.

Also Riz & Kalina is peak Athena & Odysseus. Or Pok if you wanna make Riz Telemachus. They've got the range.

[eeveechuandsticks]

Hello!! The post you reblogged from me is lyrics from the song Thunder Bringer from EPIC: The Musical. It’s a retelling of the Odyssey and is currently being produced and released independently. The Thunder Saga (which contains the song Thunder Bringer) just released about an hour ago! It’s the first collection of songs from Act 2 of the musical album.

Oh my god I didn’t even realize that the new album was released!!!! I neeeeed to listen! Thank you! I loved the Underworld Saga!

[royallygray]

Out of curiosity, do you have any song recs? :p Happy to give some back if you'd like as well

Hello! Yes, I do.

Have you by chance heard of EPIC the musical? I love all the songs in there. If you'd like a specific few, I'd recommend Open Arms, Warrior of the Mind, Remember Them, Luck Runs Out, Ruthlessness, Puppeteer, Monster, Suffering (aka the happiest song in Thunder Saga), Scylla, Little Wolf, and We'll Be Fine.

The Wisdom Saga (the most recent saga) was released two days ago. And we're all freaking out about it. All the songs there are Legendary (pun intended).

I have a few other recommendations. I don't know who you are, so I'm just listing a bunch I like. Some are gonna be Greek Mythology themed bc I'm obsessed and I have a playlist.

(in case anyone was intrigued, here you go)

Little Lion Man by Mumford & Sons

Pomegranate Lips by Derivakat

Take The Reins by Vinny Marchi

the ENTIRE The Normal Album by Will Wood

more specifically, Marsha, Thankk You For the Dialectics But I Need You To Leave

and ...well, better than the alternative

Nothing New by Taylor Swift ft. Phoebe Bridgers

W.I.T.C.H. by Devon Cole, but Annapantsu and Chloe Breez both have great covers

so american by Olivia Rodrigo

Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan

Tongues & Teeth by The Crane Wives

Thus Always To Tyrants by The Oh Hellos

The Moon Will Sing by The Crane Wives

Inertia by AJR

Steve's Going To London by AJR

Hit The Road Jack cover by 2WEI

Against the Kitchen Floor by Will Wood

All You Wanna Do from SIX

If you want more, or you want me to make this into a playlist, I can do that.

Happy listening! :D

[mintleafkitty72]

Y'all...

(EPIC the Musical rant under the cut)

(A good/positive rant, I just have the thoughts and I can't put them all in words, but I just needed to talk about this awesome goddamn musical at least a little)

I just finished listening to all of the EPIC songs released so far, all the way through, and it still makes me just as excited as it did when I first listened to it

Even with the new releases for the Troy and Cyclops Sagas and the Thunder Saga. The entire thing is so fucking amazing

Like AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH *simultaneously does happy stims*

The new Troy and Cyclops Sagas are definitely different from the first ones that were released but they are still just as great and I absolutely LOVE some of the changes that were made. They just... AALSKJDKSOJALOJSHJSKALODJ /pos. And the album art covers are just absolutely fantastic!! For the Troy and Cyclops Sagas but literally for all of them.

I just... EVERY LITTLE THING AND DETAIL IS SO INCREDIBLE AND SATISFYING AND AHHHHHHHHHHHH /pos. I literally can't put into words how happy these songs make me. And the entire cast is just so awesome and wholesome too, they are very very talented people and they deserve so much support and appreciation.

I wish I could've made it to the livestream but I wasn't able to unfortunately. It's all good though because I still follow Jorge and support him and the cast and listen to the incredible music that they have produced and shared with us.

If any of you have not listened to EPIC (which thanks for reading this anyway even if you didn't know what I was talking about?) y'all definitely should, highly recommend.

[doomedandstoned]

10,000 Years Take Us Into The "Gargantuan Forest"

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

Review by Billy Goate

Album Art by Francesco Bauso

Leaving the world For salvation yonder Quest for eternity To suns beyond

Gazing upon our past Out into forever To a future obscured What glory awaits?

To begin another week of awesome original content at Doomed & Stoned, we're getting you better acquainted with the Swedish juggernaut 10,000 YEARS.

Last summer, the band dropped their eponymous debut to welcome ears and in just a few short weeks 10,000 Years come roaring back with a follow-up. Y'all know I'm a sucker for a good concept album. The eight-track full-length record 'II' (2021) picks up the trail of the Albatross research vessel, which has been galavanting 'cross the nether reaches of the galaxy on a potent rocket fuel made of sludgy stoner rock and doom metal.

If that sounds epic, wait'll you get a load of what's next for our interstellar crew. It helps if you picture the following text as a Star Wars-style screen crawl, slowly working its way up the page against the backdrop of a starry night.

After narrowly escaping the confines of the strange planet and its surrounding dimension, the Albatross and its crew finally return home to Earth. The re-entry is rough and the ship crashlands in a forest. The earth that greets them is vastly different from the one that they left.

When the ship travelled back to earth through the wormhole, it created a rift in the space-time continuum which propelled them far into the future, as well as allowing the Green King and other ancient gods from the other dimension to cross over to our dimension. They have since taken control of not only the earth, but the entire solar system.

After various harrowing experiences and encounters, the truth finally dawns on the surviving members of the crew. They are indeed back on earth, but ten thousand years in the future from when they started their journey. And to make matters worse, they find evidence that the Green King has been known and worshipped by secret cults and societies on earth for millenia, since before humankind even existed.

The surviving members of the crew come to the conclusion that the only way to set things right again is to repair the Albatross and take it back through the rift again in order to close it.

Now that's a saga I'm ready to get invested in. George Lucas, eat your heart out!

The record revs to a start with "Descent," a track that can best be described as terrific panic. It had me thinking of KOOK's "Escape Velocity" from their recent second album, though that's an eight-and-a-half minute slow burn and this is a quick twenty-six second fall from the sky. I wish this little notion had a chance to develop into something longer, but regardless what a thrilling way to open an album!

With rapt attention, I'm waiting to hear what comes next. The ship seems to have crash landed deep inside a "Gargantuan Forest." As an aside, it would be a blast to smoke a bowl o' something (anything, really) with Erik Palm (guitar), Alex Risberg (bass, vox), and Espen Karlsen (drums) just to gab it up a bit about sci-fi lit and horror flicks. I mean, check out the trove of B-movie greats referenced in their preface to the new single (which Doomed & Stoned is debuting today):

In this ABSURD (1981) video, 10,000 Years enter a FOREST OF FEAR (1980) as they access THE BEYOND (1981) and enter a BLOODBATH (1971) with THE BOOGEY MAN (1980), otherwise known as the Espbeast. The Espbeast stalks and haunts the bodies and minds of the characters in this C-grade homage to the horror movies of yesteryear.

The characters FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE (1976) through insane NIGHTMARES IN A DAMAGED BRAIN (1981). If they survive the AXE (1974) they may still end up in an INFERNO (1980) and risk being EATEN ALIVE (1976). All the same risks face the viewer, so don’t watch with the lights out, don’t watch by yourself and DON’T GO IN THE WOODS ALONE (1981). Because after all, isn’t there an Espbeast in all of us?

10,000 Years have picked the ideal setting for the music video. The forests of Sweden stand tall and dark, the ground packed with snow. Screw you, Blair Witch Project -- this is where I want the next found footage flick filmed!

The song opens with a mysterious theme on solitary electric strings, surrounded by hazy reverberation. Drums and bass accent the motif as it's repeated several times over. Dazed by their graceless fall to earth, the crew wander about, checking one another for injuries, seeing if the faithful Albatross has even hope of another journey. As the shock begins to wear off, their hopeless plight reveals itself.

Screaming from the sky Blasting through the atmosphere

Come to rest On the forest floor Still alive What fresh new hell is this?

Surrounded by swamps A strange bleeding from the earth

Giant trees A dense horror taking root Same old sun Unfamiliar rays shine down

Is there something lurking about in the Gargantuan Forest? I'm sure no one wants to wait until nightfall to find out! The so-called "Espbeast" (which the band may actually have been first to name) is more than likely some strange amalgamation of guitar and creature, ripping through foes like a berserker of sound with scraps of High on Fire's "10,000 Years" echoing perversely through the treetops as it stalks and ultimately slays you. Nobody wants to be around when the Espbeast is on the prowl.

Now see, I'm letting my imagination get carried away! Then again, maybe that's what the band had planned all along -- for listeners to join in the fantastic adventures of these cosmonauts, to see through their eyes and feel through their body as they touch foot to strange soil. What will our adventurers find next?

The answer comes all too soon: "Spinosaurus!" This gruff beast charges angrily through the woods knocking things about, displacing rocks, snapping branches, royally pissed and ready to make somebody pay for the noise that snatched him away from a damned good nap. The repeated note riff, with its odd strumming pattern, does a nifty job of representing the crude movements of the Spinosaurus as it lumbers about the forest. Eric is a virtuosic mess of frantic tremeloes and wiry noodling against Espen's stampeding drums, as Alex narrates the scene with a terrifying shout:

Is this our earth? No time to dwell Dorsal sail cutting air Cretaceous ghost made flesh

Staring into Dead end eyes No place to hide Theropodic annihilation

Teeth into flesh!

What the crew is experiencing on their homeworld thus far seems foreign, almost ancient. Through some curse of Einstenian logic have we zipped through a wormhole only to return to the distant past? "The Mooseriders" are about to challenge our assumptions about what's possible on this Rock.

Thundering hooves crack the sky Dark robed wizards appear in the light Travellers in ether descending Protectors of the realm

These are the oath-bound eternals -- interdimensional templars, if you will -- who have arrived at this precise moment in time to take on the Green King. Complex rhythmic drumming with precisely stricken odd beats, is accompanied by a hyperactive bass and progressive metal riffmaking. Together, the band conjures the trot and hustle of the approaching entourage. A wilding guitar heralds a message from the great protectors:

The hour draws near The endgame is nigh Divine prophecy Even death may die

The mood now turns stately. A brave theme is introduced and developed with dashing prowess. This track would fit perfectly into a playlist with Mastodon, Ape Cave, and Zirakzigil. I found Alex's vocal approach especially appropriate for the frantic depiction of "antlers clashing with steel" in this battle to the finish. "Even death...may...DIE!"

"Angel Eyes" greet us on the B-side, and it's not a cover of the Jerry Cantrell song (though that would have been unexpectedly awesome). No, the hard-charging mood and raspy vocals are pointing to something far more apocalyptic.

Hooves of burning coal Let loose upon the world

Return of the warlord Eternal fire scorches the earth

Heavenly gaze Order through chaos

At times Alex seems exasperated, practically out of breath, as he gives these dire words his all. It's a style the 10,000 Years frontman owns as well as his counterpart, Simon Ohlsson of Vokonis, who has a comparable vocal attack. A bass-fortified guitar establishes a second theme that adds a Wagnarian touch of high drama, and this ushers in the song's curtain fall.

If 10,000 Years is to be compared with High On Fire at all, the rumbling riffstorm "March Of The Ancient Queen" surely merits it (to say nothing of their mutual love of alternative histories).

Her royal blood Once ruled these lands Generations Buried by time Dynasty of dust Rise from the sands Rise from the dead The Green King's servant

March!

March Of The Ancient Queen - Single by 10,000 Years

That last lyric is uttered with the most blood-curdling all-caps conviction that I was immediately drawn into its sentiment, miming "Maaaaarrrrrch!" with my ugliest war face on every time it came up in the song. The NWOBHM-style finish is so deftly executed that it comes across as orchestral. 10,000 Years paint with big, bold strokes here.

"Prehuman Walls" is a welcome shift down, with its chugging "Bury Me In Smoke" tempo. You sludge fiends will find moments of Zen here, with riffs that bend and twist and saw 'neath the summer sun. The crew have chanced upon a temple of sorts, though not one made with human hands. Nothing seems to make sense here at all. It's like Area X from the film Annihilation (2017), where everything is a contortion of reality. Then the "truth settles in." This alien monstrosity, we find, bears the mark of the sinister Green King. We thought we'd escaped him, only to find that he both followed us and was here millenia before.

Unholy worship Feed the Green King Eyes pried open Sanity stripped away

At last, we reach the final track in our journey: "Dark Side Of The Earth". So many revelations have been made in this second chapter, so many loose ends that need to be tied off. Naturally, a third chapter must be written. "We must go back, set it right," deliberates an exasperated Albatross crew. "We must go back, whence we came."

Dimension walls broken down The fabric ripped and torn apart Thread the needle once again A journey of ten thousand years

We must go back, set it right We must go back, through the tears

Insanity the only way The dark side of the earth

Following these words, the song develops instrumentally and the mood gets quite emotional. I found myself drawing parallels between this "bastard version of earth" and our own, wondering if we ever can go back and make it right. For us, perhaps it should be about moving forward, for there is no golden age or better time to which we can return. We make this world a heaven or hell tomorrow by the choices made today.

The album was recorded by Tomas Skogsberg at Studio Sunlight. Totally diggin the awesomely swamp landscape that Francesco Bauso of Negative Crypt Artwork created. It reminds the five-year old me of Luke's sopping wet landing on Dagobah, though guitarist Alex Risberg says the band's more inspired by Planet of the Apes than by Star Wars.

The album will be released on June 25th as a special vinyl "Green King Edition" by Interstellar Smoke Records pre-order here), a cassette tape "Forest Edition" from Ogo Rekords (pre-order here) and "Swamp Edition" from Olde Magick Records pre-order here), with the digital and compact disc formats handled by Death Valley Records (pre-order here).

10,0000 Years have in II their most accomplished album to date, with powerful moments that will stay with you long after the record's stopped spinning. Fans of High On Fire, Black Tusk, and The Sword listen up! You might just discover your next favorite band.

Give ear...

10,000 Years - Gargantuan Forest (Music Video)

Some Buzz

Having previously played together in the original lineup of Swedish underground heavyweights Pike, Erik Palm (Guitars) and Alex Risberg (Bass/vocals) found their way back to each other, musically, in early 2020. The creative fire reignited and stoked to a burning inferno and through a mutual love of heavy riffs and thundering stoner rock, doom, and sludge metal, 10,000 Years was born. Finding a drummer would prove to be an easy task and with Espen Karlsen the final piece lay firmly in place. The groove they fell into during the first rehearsal hasn’t stopped rumbling since.

After spending the first-half of 2020 writing and rehearsing, 10,000 Years recorded their self-titled debut EP during one weekend in June in the legendary Studio Sunlight with equally legendary producer Tomas Skogsberg. The self-titled EP was released on July 10th and immediately struck a chord with the heavy underground worldwide, and 10,000 Years garnered rave reviews and accolades.

10,000 Years by 10,000 Years

10,000 Years' musical and lyrical world revolves around the tale of the terran class III exploration vessel Albatross and its mission to explore the Milky Way and nearby galaxies in search for a possible new home for humanity. The EP tells the tale of its first foray into space and what happens when the crew accidentally travel through a wormhole and end up in an adjacent dimension populated by ancient gods and giant beings, ruled by the Green King. The EP ends with “From Suns Beyond,” where the crew make it off from the strange planet, back out into space in search of a way back home. The new album picks up the story as the Albatross blasts through the atmosphere of a seemingly unknown planet and crashlands headfirst into strange new adventures.

II by 10,000 Years

Now, less than a year after their first release, 10,000 Years are back with their first full-length effort, aptly titled 'II' (2021). Picking up right where the EP left off, II continues the story of the ill-fated Albatross mission and its exploration of time and space through a skull-crushing mixture of stoner rock, doom, and sludge metal. The album will no doubt continue to build on 10,000 Years' already golden reputation and prove to be an even bigger hit with the heavy masses.

Follow The Band

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[celticmythpodshow]

CMP Special 25b Irish Mythological Cycle Summary Pt 2

Second half of our summary of the Irish Mythological Cycle

In this show, we finish off our summary of the Irish Mythological Cycle as we've met it so far in the first 29 story episodes. Not only is this show finishing off a whole branch of Celtic Mythology, but it also celebrates the Autumn Equinox for 2011, so we've made it a real cracker and split it into two halves. In the first half, you heard an epic poem, 4 great songs and we took a look at the Origins of the Manuscripts which these stories come from and highlight some of the the themes we've noticed in the stories.

We conclude our examination of the Irish Mythological Cycle in this Second Part of this show by looking at the main characters in the stories, finishing the epic saga of Greenwood the Bard's epic poem, and yes, another 5 great pieces of music! We also introduce you to the newest member of the team, play another Pentacle Drummers track to let you know that the deadline for competition entries is the 20th Novembers

Full Show-notes, with all credits, can be found on our main Website at http://celticmythpodshow.com/irishsummary2

Running Order:

Intro 0:44

News & Views 1:08

The Old Man & the Fairy Queen by The Bards of Mystic 2:07

The Book of Invasions Pt.3 by Greenwood the Bard 13:26

Elven Home of the Chapel Halls by David Helfand 23:10

Main Characters in the Myth Cycle 28:16

I'll Meet You in Ireland by Kray Van Kirk 39:18

The Book of Invasions Pt.4 by Greenwood the Bard 43:07

Rumblin' Thunder by The Pentacle Drummers 56:22

Competition End-date 58:02

Land of the Ever-Young by Damh the Bard 59:17

We hope you enjoy it!

Gary & Ruthie x x x

Released: 2nd Oct 2011, 1h 10m

It's always great to hear from you! Email garyandruth@celticmythpodshow.com, or leave us a message using Speakpipe

The Old Man & the Fairy Queen

by the Bards of Mystic

William Widmaier is the “Captain” of the Bards of Mystic. William is the founder and the driving force behind the Bards. He is also the writer of all the stories, and that's his voice you hear narrating.

Find out more about the Bards of Mystic on Myspace. More details will also be found on our Contributor page.

  The Book of Invasions, Pts. 3 & 4

by Greenwood the Bard

Greenwood the Bard, aka Stephen Cole, has written much wonderful poetry and we're very privileged to bring you his "Book of Invasions" epic saga that re-tells the story of the Invasions of Erin.

"After a lifelong love of myth and magic, fairytale and folklore, and brought up in a family where faith and a Godly lifestyle were more important than religion, I was named as a Bard at a Gorsedd in Glastonbury. I am deeply in love with my Creator and His Creation, I have a passion for music, poetry and storytelling, and I live to build bridges between Christian and Pagan."

That is such a wonderful quest and so sad that any bridges need to be built. Good luck, Stephen!

Check out his Facebook page for more of his wonderful poetry, the poetry pages on paganspace.net and mysticchrist.co.uk where we're waiting for his posts to start appearing.

  Elven Home of the Chapel Halls

by David Helfand

David Helfand composes and performs original and traditional music on Celtic Harp, mandocello, guitar, keyboards and percussion. Many of David's compositions were born through improvisation and drawn on the inspiration found in the power of music from many wondrous cultures.

"As I returned from my maiden voyage from the land of Britain full of awe, unspeakable joy and deep reservoirs of inspiration, slowly the music started to speak. From the high craggy cliffs where the ruins of Tintagel castle lay overlooking the dark waters off Cornwall's shore, to the ancient majestic ruins of Glastonbury Abbey and the dark mysteries of the Tower of London, the swirling maze of the city's streets and the magic of the standing stones on Salisbury Plain, I swam deep in the waters of imagination.

"Shortly after returning home and embarking on creating "At the Edge of the Cornish Sea", I soon shared with the world, dark grief and immense sadness as the two towers crumbled to the earth creating it's deep grave of shattered lives and dreams. What once seemed important became insignificant against the dark clouds of sorrow."

This wonderful track comes from his At the Edge of the Cornish Sea album. You can find out more details about David on his website or on his Contributor Page on our website.

  I'll Meet You in Ireland

by Kray Van Kirk

"I have a different approach now to writing and performing music. I no longer record CDs, as I want to reduce the waste headed to our landfills, and I don't charge money for my songs as a deliberate movement away from the bottom line that seems to govern so much of our daily lives. Every now and then someone asks me how I am ever supposed to make a living as a musician when I don't make CDs and I give my songs away, since most performers make more money on sales than concert fees. I confess: I have no idea! Footsteps in the dark. "So I keep writing my songs, and I sing them when I play a show, and I give them away to anyone who wants them. My graduate work takes me to interesting places on rather short notice sometimes, and I try to plan concerts around that travel, although the short notice can make it difficult. But if I don't make it to where you live, or even if I do, the Downloads page on my website is full of little digital penguins waiting to march their way across the world, leaving no footprints in the snow." About this track, I'll Meet You in Ireland, he says: "One of my favorite poems is Yeats' Song of Wandering Aengus. All of us get old, but inside there is a place that never changes. We may wake up in bodies long gone frail, but the person who looks out is golden-eyed, barefoot in the grass, heady with the light and smells of a Spring that is endless, and generally wondering what the hell happened."

Find our more about Kray on his website or check out his Contributor Page to find out a little more about him.

  Competition (Chatterbox Show)

We then talk about the Competition about the Pentacle Drummers we set in the Chatterbox Show SP24 and set an ending date of the 20th October 2011 for competition entries.

  Rumblin' Thunder

by the Pentacle Drummers

"The Pentacle Drummers from Eastbourne, East Sussex were a small group founded in 2001 to perform at the Lammas Festival to accompany the Eastbourne Giants, 'Herne the Hunter' and 'Andred', Saxon Goddess of the Weald. We have since grown from a small group to a troupe in excess of twenty.  The Pentacle Drummers actively support Eastbourne Bonfire Society at bonfires throughout Sussex but are happy to appear on our own or in support of other Bonfire Societies when invited!"

You can hear the thundering track Rumblin' Thunder, which is from their album Life in Tatters! You can find out more about The Drummers on their website at The Pentacle Drummers or on their Contributor Page.

  Land of the Ever-Young

by Damh the Bard

We can do no better than finish the show with Damh singing us out with his song about the realm of the Celtic Gods, the Land of the Ever-Young, Tir na nOg, from his superb album The Hills They Are Hollow.

You can find out more about Damh on his website at You can find out more about Damh on his website at Pagan Music or on our Contributor Page. You can find out more about the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids that he represents on their website at druidry.org.

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  Special Thanks

Kevin Skinner for From the Time Before, Shaman's Night and At The Gates of Dinas Afferon from his album Fire Walk With Me. See his website for further details of check out his Contributor Page.

John Burge for his entrancing Celtic rhythms from his Echoes album. See his Contributor Page for more details.

Diane Arkenstone The Secret Garden. See her Contributor page for details.

Kim Robertson The Hangman's Noose. See her Contributor page for details.

Jigger Time Ticks Away. See her Contributor page for details.

  For our Theme Music:

The Skylark and Haghole, the brilliant Culann's Hounds. See their Contributor page for details.

  Extra Special Thanks for Unrestricted Access to Wonderful Music

(in Alphabetic order)

Anne Roos Extra Special thanks go for permission to use any of her masterful music to Anne Roos. You can find out more about Anne on her website or on her Contributor page.

Caera Extra Special thanks go for permission to any of her evocative harping and Gaelic singing to Caera. You can find out more about Caera on her website or on her Contributor Page.

Celia Extra Special Thanks go for permission to use any of her wonderful music to Celia Farran. You can find out more about Celia on her website or on her Contributor Page.

Damh the Bard Extra Special thanks go to Damh the Bard for his permission to use any of his music on the Show. You can find out more about Damh (Dave) on his website or on his Contributor page.

The Dolmen Extra Special thanks also go to The Dolmen, for their permission to use any of their fantastic Celtic Folk/Rock music on the Show. You can find out more about The Dolmen on their website or on our Contributor page.

Keltoria Extra Special thanks go for permission to use any of their inspired music to Keltoria. You can find out more about Keltoria on their website or on their Contributor page.

Kevin Skinner Extra Special thanks go for permission to use any of his superb music to Kevin Skinner. You can find out more about Kevin on his website or on his Contributor page.

Phil Thornton Extra Special Thanks go for permission to use any of his astounding ambient music to the Sonic Sorcerer himself, Phil Thornton. You can find out more about Phil on his website or on his Contributor Page.

S.J. Tucker Extra Special thanks go to Sooj for her permission to use any of her superb music. You can find out more about Sooj on her website or on her Contributor page.

Spiral Dance Extra Special thanks go for permission to use Adrienne and the band to use any of their music in the show. You can find out more about Spiral Dance on their website or on their Contributor page.

We'd like to wish you 'Hwyl fawr!', which is Welsh for Goodbye and have fun, or more literally Wishing a Good Mood on you!

Check out this episode!

[doomedandstoned]

Papa Paul’s Groovy Reviews!

Our resident retroist is back to finish the year with a hot handful of hits for the tune toking delight of Doomers and Stoners alike!   Give ear...

PAGAN ALTAR

The Room of Shadows by Pagan Altar (Official)

One of the many surprises wrought by the year 2017 was a new album from legendary English doomers PAGAN ALTAR, who fittingly saved their best for last. You may ask why I say "their last"? Well, sadly, their vocalist Terry Jones has passed away since recording this album. I say "fittingly," because everything the band had done to this day has been outstanding. The abstruse history of the band is a story in and of itself. I don't fully understand it, so I won't go too far down that rabbit trail. Suffice it to say, I've been following Pagan Altar from the moment their first album was pirated by an infamous bootlegger. I heard it was from the '70s, I heard it was from 1982. I always struggled with what to believe. One thing for sure, their official releases on shadow Kingdom Records are top notch and I recommend them to you highly, along with the rest of their catalog, which has (as the band's clippings rightly proclaim) influenced "a whole generation of doom-obsessed fanatics."

Pagan Altar are considered both a doom and NWOBHM band. I won't argue with either, as elements of both are surely alive in their music. What interests me most are the ever present elements of progressive hard rock strongly rooted in the band's genesis, circa 1978. Pagan Altar is often compared to Jethro Tull, owing to Terry's vocals sounding eerily similar at times to Ian Anderson and also to the boundary-pushing complexity of their songs. It is here, in 'The Room of Shadows' (2017 - Temple of Mystery Records), that those seeds of Jethro Tull sprout to life in a series of seven weird and wonderful creations. Truth be told, this is the kind of album I wished Jethro Tull recorded. I always wanted the band to be a mite heavier, overall (don't get me wrong, I loved them as they were). As I listen to The Room of Shadows, I can almost see Ian Anderson dancing around, flute in hand and posing on one leg, his knee held high. The only thing lacking is the flute! Pagan Altar achieve their progressive majesty with a happy marriage of guitar, bass, and drum.

Photo by Temple of Mystery

Apart from Jethro Tull, it's hard to find an apt comparison. At times, I hear hints of Tales of Creation era Candlemass, elements of Cirith Ungol in some of the heavier riffs, and plenty of Celtic folk music and poetry throughout, transporting the listener clear back to the early Renaissance. Such is the depth of writing and musicianship on display. If you only give this a casual listen, you will miss most of the album. The Room of Shadows should be -- nay, must be -- savored like a fine wine or, in my case, a deftly crafted beer. Let me tell you, friends, there are some meaty rifts just waiting for you to sink your teeth into (or your ears, as it were), but the riffs rightfully serve as foundation for the band's tell-tale melodies and harmonies, which are, as always, haunting.

Fans of newer bands like Beelzefuzz and Blues Funeral need to give Pagan Altar a spin. Maybe it's because the new Blues Funeral album was released just a day before this that I'm thinking of them. Though the two albums are separated by a span of 13 years, both conjure a similar vibe. You might say that Blues Funeral is America's belated answer to Britain's Pagan Altar. All comparisons aside, Pagan Altar's last record is a masterpiece, crowned with cover art that in a single frame so aptly pictures the artistic mood of the album and the band. I thought it might have been a repurposed painting from some classic English painting. No, this, as it so happens, is another stunning masterwork by Portland artist and doom metal musician Adam Burke.

One last note: the album was once slated for release under the title Never Quite Dead. Indeed, Pagan Altar's sound and legacy lives on, loud and proud, in The Room Full of Shadows.

Get It.

PANTANUM

Purple Blaze by Pantanum

Anyone in the mood for some Italian doom by way of South America? That's what we have with 'Purple Blaze' (2017), the latest EP from Curitiba, Brazil trio PANTANUM. Old farts like me will recognize this right away. The artwork confirms that this is, indeed, a tribute to legendary Italian doomer Paul Chain -- more specifically, a nod to his great album, 'Violet Art of Improvisation' (1989). Pantanum make a play on "violet" with the word "purple" and use a similar layout for the album art. It's a great to see a young band paying tribute to an old school legend, one that I'm sure is a new name for fans of doom who came here by way of bands like Sleep or Electric Wizard.

The two songs on the 7" are from the horror-style doom playbook the Italians were so famous for in the ‘80s and ‘90s. In fact, the 8-minute bonus track sounds like something you’d hear on a horror movie soundtrack, which is also the mood lit by Violet Art of Improvisation. If Pantanum got my attention with their first album, ‘Volume 1’ (2015), their follow-up EP has me all ears!

Get It.

THE SHELTER PEOPLE

The Shelter People -EP by The Shelter People

Fans of '70s acid rock are in for a real treat with this release. I give this a confidence rating of 100% on the authenticity scale for sounding like something from a lost FM radio transmission. THE SHELTER PEOPLE are from Tulsa, Oklahoma, but do a fine job of channeling the vibe of legendary blues-soaked acid rock bands from Japan, like Flower Travellin' Band, Blues Creation, Chinki Chen, Too Much, etc. I'm sure a good number of our readers don't know these bands I've mentioned, so a more accessible description of The Shelter People would be Black Sabbath meets Jimi Hendrix, heavy on the Jimi. This band is, in a word, tight -- excellent guitar work, riffs that are downright funky, and passionate vocals. This is the trip you're searching for.

Get It.

THE SONIC DAWN

Into the Long Night by The Sonic Dawn

I have to thank Billy for his allowing me to stretch what used to be normal strictly a stoner-doom webzine. I appreciate his wisdom and ability to see the correlation between the retro scene that was emerging a few years ago and that of the still evolving stoner-doom scene. I recognized this movement early on and have been feverishly documenting this return to roots movement ever since.

Fast-forward to present day and the retro sound is as fresh and vibrant as ever, with bands like Denmark's SONIC DAWN now carrying the baton. Their beauty of a record, 'Into The Long Night' (2017), landed #16 on the Doom Charts in April. I can't tell you how happy this made me. In all actuality, this isn't doom at all. No resemblance to Black Sabbath, no downtuned guitars, no thundering pounding of the drums. No, this is laid back, seventies-style psychedelic rock. The look, the feel, the attitude -- it's all there. Make no mistake, Sonic Dawn have captured something very special here, capturing the essence of the scene in psychedelic rhythms, swirling leads, and ethereal vocals. I personally find this music enjoyable in the early morning or late at night. If laid back psychedelia is normally your thing, consider that. This has probably been my most played album since its release.

Get It.

WATCHER'S GUARD

Watcher's Guard by Watcher's Guard

Riding over the hills of Glasgow, comes WATCHER'S GUARD armed with a doom-laden three song battering ram of a debut. I was blown away at first listen, so you can imagine there's some retro, old school, traditional doom action to be had here, with a slight touch of NWOBHM for good measure. Watcher's Guard are the doom masters. This EP covers just about every early subgenre of doom you can think of: biker doom, epic doom, slow doom, you name it. If you pinned me down to one band it most sounds like, I would have to say Revelation from Baltimore. But Watcher's guard is a bit more uptempo over all. The clear standout for me is track two, "The Ruiner." An epic just shy of 12 minutes long, this one is destined to be crowned a classic. It's easy to make the Candlemass comparison, but Watcher's Guard bring so much more to the table. The complexity of their songcraft, with psychedelic twists and turns, take you along for an heroic journey that runs you through the gauntlet of emotions. What will these four dark knights have instore for us in the future? Time and fate will tell. For now, the path to oblivion has been lit. Let's follow and enjoy the apocalyptic fireworks.

Get It.

WITCHERS CREED

Depths of the black void... by Witchers Creed

Earlier in the year, I introduced you to WITCHERS CREED, a doom-touched acid rock band from Katrineholm. We've been audience to the band's creative output with a pair two-trackers released months apart. With four superbly recorded songs to their name, I think have a pretty good read on the band now and have this suspicious feeling that they are trying to become my favorite band! That's no small statement, as you know how many killer bands I've reviewed and raved about in these pages over the years. Regulars know I am vigilantly scouring the globe in search of that authentic psychedelic sound that stole away my heart as a teenager and reporting on the unfolding saga of the retro revival in these pages. Witchers Creed are have been apparently drinking freely of the magical stream flowing through Sweden, from which springs one magical musical act after another. Nay, they are baptizing themselves in it. Even their instruments and gear bear the vintage stamp of the glory days.

I have been told I nailed down the Witchers Creed sound my review of their March release when I said they sounded like Mountain meets Sabbath meets your favorite underground seventies band. You can pick the loudest and heaviest of them, Witchers Creed is right up there with the best. They have perfected their craft with a powerful rhythm section, notable for its thundering basslines. The guitar leads are no less mind-blowing -- more than just short bursts, this soloing goes on and on, soaked with fuzz and venturing into Dave Chandler territory. You know, the master of feedback from Saint Vitus. These demented leads are brought sailing over the top by one groovy rhythm machine, accompanied by dual harmonized vocals. Imagine Leslie West of Mountain harmonizing with Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers with wild occult lyrics, when suddenly the music stops and you hear the words: "You're all doomed!" Now that you have a visual idea of this band's irresistible charm, it's time for you to get plugged in yourself and give it a listen.

Get It.

ZEREMONY

Soul of the Zeremony by Zeremony

We're down to the last lap of 2017 and, suitably, also at the last letter of the alphabet. I think I can count just about all the "Z" bands I know on two hands. To call ZEREMONY a grower is not quite adequate, more like instantly addictive. 'Soul of the Zeremony' (2017) blew me away first listen. Yet it keeps growing on me every listen .

Photo Credit: Umsonst-und-Draussen Festival/Würzburg

You may remember hearing them as the captsone to That Seventies Compilation, which I organized last year. I heaped high praise on the the authenticity of their sound when they released that wonderful organ-driven demo that same year. Two of those three songs were deemed worthy of joining the fold of seven in this album of obscure, dark, and heavy organ-driven rock. Zeremony fit right in with my treasured favs.

Hailing from Würzburg, Zeremony seem to bear the influence of the Krautrock scene, which was erupted in the late '60s and early '70s and remains a stylistic pillar to this day. One band I hear as I listen to Zeremony is a band called Irish Coffee, just a few doors down from Germany in Belgium. They are similar in the heavy use of organ and gruff vocals. For modern comparison, try Golden Grass or Siena Root.

Listen for "She Sang a Song To Me." It is gloomy, yet earnest number with a sing-along chorus that would have all the makings of a hit single in the seventies. I've been raving about authenticity a lot in this piece and bands like Zeremony are setting a very high bar.

Get It.