Modest Machine

Formed in early 2007, Moorpark, California's Black Sheep Wall play an aggressively heavy blend of down-tempo, sludge, and doom metal. Characterized by the monumental amount of anger, disgust, and desperation in their music, Black Sheep Wall have earned themselves a cult following since the release of their debut, I Am God Songs, in 2008. The album, which features artwork by Admiral Angry mastermind Daniel Kraus, is an exhausting collage of down tuned guitars, dissonant vocals, and pounding drum beats. Although not overly technical or entirely perfect, I Am God Songs is a fantastic record that leaves the listener in awe of its punishing sounds and raw emotions.

Download: Black Sheep Wall - I Am God Songs (2008)

Fog Cutter

Recently signed to Phil Anselmo's Housecore Records, New Orleans, Louisiana sludge/doom outfit haarp are set to release their debut full-length, The Filth, in November 2010. In the meantime, here are the band's demo EP's from 2007 and 2009, along with their 2009 split with fellow Louisiana band, Thou.

Download: haarp - Demo I (2007)

Download: haarp - Demo II (2009)

Download: haarp/Thou - Reincarnation Prayer Split (2009)

Circling The Drain

Formed in 2004, Los Angeles, California's Admiral Angry play an aggressively bottom heavy blend of sludge and doom metal. While their name may evoke visions of a cartoon villain in a pirate costume chasing around Scooby Doo and the Gang, Admiral Angry's sound is far more violent and disturbing than their name lets on. One listen to their debut full - length, Buster, and you realize that this band is more like the sonic equivalent of a rabid beast that would abduct the aforementioned cartoon heroes, force them to live in a well in his basement, and piss on them until they drown. A majority of the band's work was orchestrated by lead guitarist Daniel Kraus (aka THE Admiral), who passed away tragically in February of 2009 after a lifelong bout with Cystic Fibrosis. After his passing, the remaining members of the band decided to return to the studio to finish recording the EP that they had been working on with Kraus before he died. The result of these sessions is A Fire To Burn Down The World, a one track, 23 minute long assault on the listener's aural sensibilities. Although the band claim to have enough material written to complete at least one more album, it remains unclear whether or not they will continue to record under the Admiral Angry moniker, or if they will go their separate ways and move on to new projects.

Download: Admiral Angry - Buster (2008)

Download: Admiral Angry - A Fire To Burn Down The World (2010)

*** If you enjoy what you hear, please make an effort to buy a copy, as the band have decided to donate all proceeds from the sale of their music to Cystic Fibrosis research ***

Idol Of Perversity

Formed in late 2006/early 2007, London, England's Pombagira play a particularly epic brand of doom metal that leaves the listener in awe of what they've just experienced. Originally formed as a three piece, Pombagira now operates as a two man doom metal machine, opting to use six amps instead of four. Their debut album, The Crooked Path, is a five track, two disc behemoth that clocks in at just over an hour and twenty minutes. With an arsenal of songs that consistently run longer than ten minutes at a time, Pombagira are not a band for everyone. The average listener will not be able to devote the attention required to digest the band's trance inducing swan songs. But if you consider yourself an avid fan of anything doom related, and you have a few hours to kill, I would highly suggest that you give Pombagira's discography a listen.

Download: Pombagira - The Crooked Path Disc 1 (2008)

Download: Pombagira - The Crooked Path Disc 2 (2008)

Download: Pombagira - Black Axis Abraxas (2009)

Download: Pombagira - Baron Citadel (2010)

Septic Werewolves

Originally from Wilmington, North Carolina (also known as Cape Fear), Sourvein was formed in 1993 by vocalist T-Roy Medlin. Self described as "MDC meets My War-era Black Flag meets Melvins", the band embarked on the "30 Days Of Roadkill Tour" in 1994, sharing the stage with the likes of Anal Cunt, Eyehategod, and Buzzoven. Two years later, T-Roy joined Buzzoven as a full time member, providing samples and background vocals up until the band's demise in 1998. After moving to New York City, Medlin began jamming with Liz Buckingham, who was at the time a member of New York crust/doom frontrunners 13. In late 1998, the duo moved to New Orleans to regroup, and once there they continued to tour and record, working with various bass players and drummers along the way, including a short stint with Jimmy Bower (Eyehategod, Crowbar, Down). In 2001, just two months after releasing their debut album on Man's Ruin Records, the label folded. In spite of this setback, the band continued to tour, soon building a reputation for themselves, not only with fans but also with local police. Shut down more than once for disturbing the peace, it is said that they are even banned from playing in Medlin's hometown, Cape Fear. Now signed to Southern Lord, Sourvein continue to tour relentlessly and are set to release a new album in the Fall of 2010.

Download: Sourvein - Salvation (2000)

Download: Sourvein - Will To Mangle (2002)

Download: Sourvein - Emerald Vulture (2005)

Download: Sourvein/Rabies Castle - Split 7" (2005)

Download: Sourvein/Church Of Misery - Split (2006)

Download: Sourvein - Ghetto Angel (2008)

Download: Sourvein - Imperial Bastard (2008)