Greece has got the goods!
From deep within the fabled gloom of his hollows, the venerable Reek of Stoom has crafted yet another Doomed & Stoned journey through lands rich in heavy talent. Hellenic music has always been a stalwart of the heavy underground, and in the latest D&S compilation the truly immense depth and breadth of its scene is brought to light. Kicking off with a track from rising stars' Acid Mammoth's upcoming "Under Acid Hoof" LP, Reek's journey weaves a path through a range of genres and themes. Transitioning from the initial sludgey doom of the likes of The Slayerking, a hard rock edge is brought to bear by the debut of Bacchus Priest's occult doom track "White Sepulchre" and the Sabbath vibes of Night Resident, along with a D&S exclusive mix of Tidal Shock's psych doom "Black Hole Genesis" before plummeting into the Conan-level heaviness of atmospheric doomsters Automaton. A well-earned breath of fresh Greek air is soon found, however, in one of the comp's standout sections. Starting with the lauded Villagers of Ioninna City, a series of groups melds traditional Hellenic and Eastern culture with heavy music to brilliant effect, such as the use of the kemenje fiddle and throat singing by Around the Fire and the doomed Eastern melodies of Babylon Tree. A shot of adrenaline is then delivered by the psychedelic stoner of Arrakis and company, mercilessly followed by the caustic sludge attacks of Sadhus, The Smoking Community and Gagulta. Yet with a whopping 66 tracks, the ride thankfully isn't over. Morose atmospherics of Okwaho and Six Steps Above The Earth settle the mood before it rises once more with the swinging rock and roll grooves of Stonus and like-minded headbangers. The journey ends in suitably epic fashion with the wonderfully weird She Tames Chaos, the legendary Naxatras, and finally the crushing shoegaze/black/doom of Faunus, whose massive sound is directly inspired by Greek lore. Many thanks to the Greek heavy scene, Reek of Stoom, and Doomed & Stoned for an astounding collection of music, and happy trails to all those about to find a new favorite band in Hellas!
(Written by Kyle)
(A map, guiding you across the isle to all that Hellas goodness locations...)
